The Herald has reported on several cases of students facing sexual abuse and assault in schools, including one instance where a teen boy sent explicit images of himself to his victim, touched the victim’s genitals without consent, and whipped him while threatening harm if the abuse was revealed. The victim’s mother was shocked to learn that the alleged perpetrator had a record of sexual offenses and was allowed to continue attending school. Another case involved a girl being assaulted by a boy who forced his hand down her pants. The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research have reported 28 sexual offenses by minors on school grounds in 2022 and 37 in 2023.
In one case, a boy allegedly abused a classmate at a school for special purposes, leading to the victim being too scared to attend school. The principal allowed the accused student to continue attending while an investigation was ongoing, stating that the accused was entitled to an education. In another case, a girl was assaulted by a boy at a regional high school, and when the incident was reported to a teacher, there was a lack of support and information on how to address the trauma. Despite the incidents, the accused students were not suspended, and safety plans were implemented to prevent further contact between the victims and perpetrators.
The issue of balancing the rights of perpetrators and victims extends beyond the state education system, with similar cases occurring at non-government schools, including at least one same-sex religious school. The NSW Department of Education does not keep centralized records of students facing criminal charges, convictions, or apprehended violence orders. When asked about ongoing reviews and guidance on sexual offending in schools, the department mentioned extensive consultation to ensure the best support for student victims and stated new guidance for managing such matters would be published later in the year.
Education Minister Prue Car highlighted the complexity and sensitivity of addressing allegations of abuse between students in schools, emphasizing the need for careful and timely responses. She mentioned that guidance on managing such issues is in the final stages of consultation and will be shared with school leaders. The department aims to provide support for student victims and improve guidance for schools dealing with sexual offending cases. The ongoing review includes consultations internally and externally to ensure that the approach is appropriate and effective in addressing these complex issues.
