Over 400 Students At NZ School Say They Were Sexually Harassed, 20 Raped

A recent survey commissioned by an all-girls New Zealand high school revealed that more than half of its polled students have been sexually harassed, while close to two dozen said they were raped.

Christchurch Girls' High School said Monday that 430 out of a total of 725 students that participated in the survey, or 59.3%, said they experienced some form of harassment, New Zealand news outlet Stuff reported. Additionally, a quarter of the polled students said they were harassed over 10 times, while more than 20 students said they were raped.

The survey was sent to 1,042 consenting students, around four-fifths of its 1,240-student population. Police were present at the school during the morning assembly release of the results, which will be sent to parents via letter.

The harassment included verbal, space, written and physical or sexual contact. The survey found that sexual harassment was most likely to take place outside school, around town, out socializing, on public transport and online.

The results also said that around 91% of the identified sexual harassers were men, including those who were the same age as the students or older.

According to the survey, the most common incidents were cat-calling, body shaming and being rated on looks. Most incidents were also reportedly carried out by lone males, with a quarter being carried out by groups.

More than 20 students, however, described being raped by individuals or groups when asked to recall some of the "worst" incidents of harassment.

"None of these incidents were reported to police, and most never disclosed at all," the survey was quoted as saying by Stuff.

"The number of incidents as well as the lack of reporting and the fact that our students have normalized this totally unacceptable behavior, are all very concerning," school principal Christine O'Neill said in response to the revelations.

O'Neill said she was "proud" of the students for speaking out, describing them as "brave and strong."

The survey results came out three months after around 100 protesting students at the girls-only school were turned away by police and their principal before they could reach their sister school, Christchurch Boys’ High School. Chalk graffiti messages had appeared at the all-boys school prior to the girls' late March protest that alleged that Christchurch Boys’ High School headmaster Nic Hill "protects" bullies and that he should "control [his] boys.''

Canterbury district crime manager Detective Inspector Greg Murton said in a statement that police were "concerned" about the survey's findings, "particularly the allegations of rape and sexual assault," according to Stuff.

Murton said police had worked with the girls-only school since the March protest to "discuss the issue and provide a pathway for any complaints of criminal behavior."

"If the students continue to hide their experiences, it leaves perpetrators free and clear to do it again," Murton said.

Head girl Amiria Tikao said she believes the survey would "spark change" and that it would encourage students to go to the police. Tikao, however, added that "these issues are so much bigger than secondary schools and Christchurch Girls’ High School. It’s a wider societal problem."

Representation. Christchurch Girls' High School's survey revealed that 430 of its polled students claimed to have been harassed, while over 20 said they had been raped. Photo: Pixabay