Coaches arrested at Saint-Laurent school | A law against sexual violence in schools called for

Five days after the arrest of three coaches from Saint-Laurent school, who have been accused of several sex crimes, a coalition is calling for the “rapid and urgent” adoption of a bill to “prevent and combat” sexual abuse. sexual violence in schools.

Henri Ouellette-Vezina
The Press

“It hurts me every time I see the government’s inaction. Many young people suffer in silence,” says the speaker Clorianne Augustin, co-coordinator of the collective La voix des jeunes compte, which represents young women aged 15 to 21. She affirms that “sexual violence occurs daily in our schools”, and that “from the numerous testimonies received until today, we know that the situation at Saint-Laurent school is not at all an isolated case “.

From 2 to 8% of athletes experience at least one sexual violence in a sporting context, and two-thirds of the victims are under the age of 18, according to data from the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ) advanced Monday. Barely a third of these young people would reveal to have been victims of an aggression, says the collective, which deplores that it is still “excessively difficult to denounce”, for lack of “clear” mechanisms.

Remove “the system of impunity”

For the co-founder of Quebec against sexual violence, Mélanie Lemay, who recalled having been sexually assaulted herself at the age of 17 by a football player from her school, the reality is that there are “no consequences » for people who « close their eyes » to this violence. “We must remove this system of impunity with mandatory training, awareness, so that these people can no longer just throw the ball without taking action,” she criticizes.

“It can’t be a partisan approach,” says the founder of the Pour 3 points organization, Fabrice Vil, insisting on the need for a “concerted approach.” “The mechanisms in place at the moment are insufficient. There is a culture of silence that we all have to tackle together,” he explains to The Press, saying he is “optimistic” to see these changes taking place.

“We are bombarded with messages urging us to denounce, as if it were easy, regardless of how we feel. What we need. We don’t feel comfortable denouncing, we don’t feel safe. We think it’s our fault, we have dark thoughts. Especially when you know that the school staff are aware, but no one says or does anything, ”insists Kenza Chahidi, a young woman member of the group The voice of young people counts.

All these actors ask the Minister of Education Jean-François Roberge “to listen to young people” by adopting a framework law that would apply in all educational settings, from preschool to secondary school, including general education. or professional. Such a framework is already in place in CEGEPs and universities. The coalition is asking for clear “intervention protocols” that would apply systematically, as well as a dedicated budget for hiring specialized resources in schools.

Quebec swears to be in action

In Minister Roberge’s office, they say they are putting everything in place to make schools “a fulfilling environment”, with, among other things, the reform of the Student Ombudsman, “which will be more independent, more transparent and more accessible, and which will be a essential tool for improving the handling of complaints and combating violence and bullying at school,” says press officer Florent Tanlet. The new Culture and Citizenship course will also address the issue of sexual assault, he says.

Quebec also recalls that “all establishments have the obligation to develop a plan to fight against intimidation and violence”. The Independent Complaints Officer, set up last year, is “a tool that sports federations must use to deal with complaints of all kinds”, adds the office of the Minister responsible for Sports, Isabelle Charest, reiterating that resources are in place “to create an environment conducive to whistleblowing” and to bring about “a real culture change”.

what they said