Quebec needs legislation to protect kids from being sexually assaulted in schools: advocates

Quebec youth advocates and parents are calling on the province’s education minister to move forward with a framework law on sexual violence in schools.

Such a law – which would include a complaint process, mandatory training and resources to support victims – already exists for CEGEP and university students.

Advocates say something similar is needed to protect younger students at the high school and elementary levels. They are tired of waiting and are urging Minister Bernard Drainville to act quickly.

“We’re working on the bill because we want to make sure that adults are held accountable for being witnesses of sexual violence in schools. Because so far, even if they received the testimony of a youth and they decide not to act upon it, there’s no consequences,” said Mélanie Lemay, a member of the collective La voix des jeunes compte.

“There’s still a lot of work to do in schools to make sure that children are still safe.”

Earlier this month, police in Longueuil were tasked with investigating a possible sexual assault at an elementary school. The alleged adult suspect was removed from the school “until further notice,” police said.

In May, allegations were made against a physical education and sexual education teacher at Louise-Trichet High School in the city’s east end. That teacher stepped down amid an investigation by the school service centre.

In March, a Montreal elementary school teacher pled guilty to several sex-related crimes involving five young girls. He was sentenced to eight years behind bars.

Recent data from Quebec’s Public Security Ministry found 10 per cent of reported sex assaults on minors happened in a school.

“More and more, we’ll see sexual crimes that are happening within our schools,” said Corinne Payne executive director of the Fédération des comités de parents du Québec. “And this is a great concern to parents. It should be a place where children are safe in our schools.

“So we need to ensure that any sexual predatory behaviors of any sort at any level are treated accordingly.”

Problems with complaints process: report

An investigative report commissioned by the Quebec Ministry of Education in March found the complaints process against problematic employees in schools has several shortcomings.

The 100-page report, concluded in July, identifies a number of problems in the management of these cases, including a lack of communication between the various employers, a lack of consistency in the supervision of teachers, and limited training for those involved.

The report recommends, in part, that consideration be given to eliminating amnesty in cases of sexual misconduct and violence.

Drainville said at the time the government would act as quickly as possible to fix the issues.

Since the start of the school year, a new mechanism for handling complaints and reports in schools came into effect with the National Student Ombudsman. But demands are growing for a standardized plan that can be adapted to each school.

“This is what we’ve heard from our parents over the past years is they want this extra protection put in place,” Payne said. “The law for the National Ombudsman saw the need for that as well.”

Opposition parties move to address sexual violence in schools

Last spring, all Opposition parties backed a Québec solidaire bill to prevent and combat sexual violence in schools.

“Unfortunately, a lot of the plans are done and they’re put on a shelf and they’re not necessarily respected or taken into consideration or applied to the capacity that they should be or taken as seriously as they should be. So that’s obviously a concern,” said Payne.

Lemay and the La voix des jeunes compte collective are hoping the government passes the bill quickly.

“We’re still witnessing very serious cases of neglect and we just want to make sure that youths are safe at school,” she said.

–With files from The Canadian Press