“Do you want some ice cream?” », says Marie-Laurence. Her friend hesitates. “Taste it, I already paid for it,” she continues. The friend seems to reluctantly agree. Marie-Laurence turns to the 5th gradee year. “Is that consent? She said yes. I didn’t force her,” she asks the students.
Hands go up suddenly and answers burst out in Madame Amélie’s class. “You insisted!” », reproaches a young girl. “She felt obliged to eat ice cream, even though she didn’t want to,” adds her office neighbor.
“We made the example with ice cream, but when we talk about gestures of an intimate nature, or touches, kisses, or tickling, it’s the same principle,” explains Marie-Laurence.
Wanting or not an ice cream to illustrate sexual consent, it is through such staging that Me Marie-Laurence Hébert-Trudeau, coordinator of the Schoolyard project, addresses this delicate subject with 10 and 11 year old children.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Me Marie-Laurence Hébert-Trudeau, program coordinator, in front of a class of 5e year of a school in Longueuil
“It’s just you who can decide what you do with your body. No one else can tell you what to do. We’re talking about gestures of proximity, kisses, hugs, that kind of thing,” concludes the Crown prosecutor.
That day, at the International School of Vieux-Longueuil, it was the 12e week of the Schoolyard program. Me Hébert-Trudeau and his colleague Me Naomi Côté-Laporte, both criminal and penal prosecutors in Longueuil, talk with the children for an hour.
Little known to the public, the La Cour d’école project has been operating in Quebec for eight years. In the last year, 172 prosecutors presented training in 50 schools in Quebec for the benefit of 1,594 students. The popularity of the project is such that the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) has to refuse schools due to a lack of available prosecutors.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Me Marie-Laurence Hébert-Trudeau, program coordinator
From October to April, for 16 weeks, prosecutors demystify the youth justice system and educate children about making good decisions. They talk to them about bullying, street gangs, stereotypes, conflict resolution, etc. The program concludes with a mock trial in a real courtroom of a courthouse (see following text).
In 5e year, they are old enough to understand concepts that are quite complex, but they still have a positive perspective of authority and those involved in the justice system.
Me Marie-Laurence Hébert-Trudeau, coordinator of the Schoolyard project
Never feel obligated…even with grandma
Madame Amélie’s students listen attentively. Many of them answered the questions of the two prosecutors. The tone is friendly, despite the seriousness of the subjects. The prosecutors avoid overly legal terms, without infantilizing young people. On the border between childhood and adolescence, Madame Amélie’s students are lit.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Me Marie-Laurence Hébert-Trudeau, coordinator of the Schoolyard program, and Me Naomi Côté-Laporte, DPCP youth prosecutor, in a class of 5e year of a school in Longueuil
“What is consent? », asks Marie-Laurence.
“You have to ask before touching the person,” replies a student.
“On social networks, you cannot publish a photo without the person’s permission,” says a young girl.
“Could this be a criminal act? », says Marie-Laurence. A question greeted by a unanimous “Yes” from the children.
“Have you ever had your father or mother say to you: “Go give Grandpa a hug or give your godmother a kiss”? » raises Marie-Laurence.
“Yes”, answer the young people.
“Do you still like it?” »
” No ! », exclaim the students.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
“It’s always okay to listen to yourself, to respect your limits, your boundaries, no matter what someone else tells you,” insists prosecutor Marie-Laurence Hébert-Trudeau (center).
“We are a new generation. We are going to teach our children new things, and we are going to change the ways of doing things on many, many, many subjects. We do things differently. It’s always okay to listen to yourself, to respect your limits, your boundaries, no matter what someone else tells you,” insists prosecutor Marie-Laurence Hébert-Trudeau.
The message is clear: you should not feel obliged to do something to please someone else. Even a kiss to grandma.
“You have the right to have limits,” insists the prosecutor. Even in a family context.
“That doesn’t mean being rude or sending people away, you still have the obligation to say “hello, grandmother, thank you for having us, thank you for the gift, it’s good, your dumpling stew,” the prosecutor explains, while a little prankster cracks a dumpling joke.
Changing mentalities is not an easy task. But it is important to teach young people early to set their limits and resist peer pressure, according to Me Hébert-Trudeau.
“There remains a lot of prevention work. In 2024 we will see a very high number of sexual assault cases,” says the prosecutor in an interview.
In the lesson on street gangs, children must think about the motivations of young people to join such a group during a role-play.
We don’t just want to tell them: “Don’t do that, it’s not right.” We want them to understand.
Me Marie-Laurence Hébert-Trudeau, coordinator of the Schoolyard project
Training on the dangers of social networks is particularly resonant, while young people are harassed online 24 hours a day. Cases of sexual luring are also frequent. “Would you go to a park of eight billion people alone, without your parents? No, so know how to protect yourself,” she illustrates to the children.
According to Me Hébert-Trudeau, there is no doubt that the Schoolyard project contributes to reducing crime.
“I am convinced that each young person, individually, benefits from the project. It has an impact on their future development and progress,” she concludes.