text: Port Lincoln High School tackling sexual harassment reports 'head-on' - ABC News
  Port Lincoln High School tackling sexual harassment reports 'head-on'
  Posted ThuThursday 6 MayMay 2021 at 7:36amThuThursday 6 MayMay 2021 at 7:36am , updated ThuThursday 6 MayMay 2021 at 7:48amThuThursday 6 MayMay 2021 at 7:48am
  Port Lincoln High School has engaged Headspace to help female students following reports of sexual comments and harassment. (
  "We wanted to give female students this opportunity to get some really good up-to-date information both around the language that can be used in healthy relationships, but also some flagging points around potentially unhealthy relationships, and what can be said to try and support those students," Mr George said.
  A letter sent to parents said the sessions were designed to "give girls the necessary tools to be able to cope with unwanted attention and inappropriate behaviour when engaging with some of our male cohort".
  'She looked shocked and uncomfortable'
  "I was sitting on the senior floor when a guy from my grade came and sat next to one of the girls that was doing some study work and then proceeded to put his hand on her inner thigh which she didn't ask for," he said.
  "She looked shocked and uncomfortable — she was pretty quick to move away and get out of there."
  A final year student says he's witnessed unwanted touching of female students. (
  "I've seen quite a number of female students go to these people [some of the staff], asking them for help, but nothing has come out of it — there's been no change, no repercussions for the guys doing this stuff," he said.
  "A member of staff who is employed at our school made the comment, 'Boys will be boys', on Tuesday and this frustrated quite a few of the students here," he said.
  The school's principal, Mr George, said there were robust structures in place to support reporting of — and responding to — inappropriate behaviour whether it related to students, staff or members of the wider school community.
  "We are currently in the process of reviewing our Student Behaviour Management Policy, which will include clear rights, responsibilities and consequences for inappropriate behaviour," he said.
  "This is an issue that our school is confronting head-on."
  'Australia-wide issue'
  "We, as a strong empowered group of girls, are sick of the fact that nothing is changing and the victims of sexual harassment are always taught how to deal with it," she said.
  "Why aren't we teaching these [male] people that these behaviours are not OK in the first place?
  "Every school in Port Lincoln has instances of sexual harassment, every school in Australia."
  Posted 6 MayMay 2021ThuThursday 6 MayMay 2021 at 7:36am , updated 6 MayMay 2021ThuThursday 6 MayMay 2021 at 7:48am