We Talked to Wellington Students Protesting Rape Culture in Their Schools

"Two four six eight, stop the violence, stop the rape," chanted the crowd at the rape culture protest outside New Zealand's Parliament yesterday afternoon. The protest was organised by students from Wellington East Girls' College in response to two recent incidents in local boys' schools: rape comments made by a group of Wellington College students on Facebook, and students at St Patrick's College Silverstream inappropriately filming female staff. Addressing the incidents, Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett turned to the crowd, "It is not acceptable and we have heard your voices. As a politician but more importantly I think as a mother, grandmother, daughter and someone that's heard it: we see you today and we've heard it and we commend your bravery." Other speakers included year 11 student Norma McClean, Maori Party MP Marama Fox and Fiona McNamara of the Sexual Abuse Prevention Network, who also called for everyone to "call up transphobic and queer-phobic comments that contribute to sexual abuse".

A large number of high school students turned up to show their support. Boys from Wellington College walked around with collection boxes for Women's Refuge, a woman shouted "Fuck you Paula Bennett" every ten seconds of her speech and several students shared their disgust at the "lack of action" from their schools. Tensions were high and proposed solutions were plentiful. VICE had a chat to some of the voices in the crowd to get an idea of where we are currently at with rape culture in New Zealand.

VICE: Hi Aukilani. Why did you come out here?
Auckilani: We're both from Mana College. We actually came out here for the Commonwealth commemoration but this drew our attention so we came along to check out what it is.

What's made you stick around for so long?
Sticking up for the girls, basically, the women in society. I haven't witnessed rape culture myself, but us guys need to mind our own business and stop doing stupid things like what happened in the last week.

What brought you both out here today?
Mary: We go to East and feminism is like a big thing in our school so we came here to support the sisters, our mothers and the women in our lives. We are at a very impressionable age and rape culture has become normalised so I just don't want more girls growing up thinking this is normal.

Alexia: I think it's a really good cause and it's so important for girls our age to come and support this. The girls up there are our friends so we just came here to support them.

You said this feminism is big part of your school, have you witnessed rape culture first hand?
Mary: I feel like our school is really for women's rights and we believe that women should be equal to men. In New Zealand, women should be able to walk around the street and feel safe and that's just not the atmosphere that we have here.

So what do you think could be done to get that atmosphere?
Alexia: Just learning about it and having consent taught in schools as part of sex education and going further into the years also like during college and stuff. We are here today so that's a big step. We are just spreading awareness about the issue and everyone should know about it and come support it.

What made you feel like you should join today?
Andrew: I just think it's an issue that affects a lot of people in our age bracket and a lot of people around us and I think it's pretty important that we do everything we can to raise awareness. Especially after what's happened recently in our school at Wellington College. We want to show that we care about the issue and we want to do something about the issue.

How do you feel about the recent events that have happened with some guys in your school?
Andrew: Specifically from my perspective, I don't think that Wellington College is a harbour for that kind of mentality but I definitely think you can see it in society and in young people as a whole. There is a mentality that is quite unhealthy, and there's unhealthy ideals that get pushed forward and I think it's our responsibility to try combat that and do everything we can.

Whose responsibility do you think it is?
Edward: In my five years at Wellington College, I have never experienced anything like this. We have had assemblies, we've had form classes and our year 9 and 10 health classes even talk about consent. I think generally in our school and in other schools we should all keep being educated about ways to be safe online and ways to be safe regarding rape culture and the treatment of women.

What made you feel like you should speak out today?
Bronny: Well really I was just appalled by recent comments and I feel like this issue has been around for a long time and we shouldn't have to still be here protesting this stuff. I guess I'm just here supporting those who are strongly affected by all of this.

Have you personally be affected by rape jokes or culture?
Maddy: I've experienced them by hearing about them but not directly myself or any of my friends. But it's pretty scary that it's come to this and things really need to change.

Do you feel safe in New Zealand culture?
Bronny: No, definitely not. It's always just the constant worry. Especially girls walking home from the bus stop when it's dark. Because of all the comments made, it's just built on fear. I really do agree that consent should be taught in boys' schools, and not just boys' schools all schools really.

Why are you both here today?
Poppy: I'm just really fed up about the shit that goes down every single day in our culture. There was originally going to be a protest outside Wellington College but for whatever reason that got shut down which is a bit sad. I feel like everyone was too cautious about it because they didn't want to offend 'Col boys' but that shouldn't be the worry right now. It's ridiculous.

You mentioned that you're fed up with rape culture, how have you personally experienced it?
Tessa: Honestly if you are just walking down the street you are going to get cat-called, that's just what you get for being woman. You just have to accept it and we can't do that.

Poppy: I didn't really notice it until recently because I have always looked really young but now that I'm 17 I can barely go into town. The other day at Oriental Bay we got asked to put sunscreen on four different guys. It just ruined the entire day. We had to go in three different shops just to escape guys. I shouldn't have to be cautious of what I wear and where I go.

Do you think this is something specific to New Zealand culture?
Tessa: I think it's definitely a worldwide thing but it is associated with the drinking culture that we have in New Zealand. And also the male and rugby culture telling people to be a tough New Zealand man. It sucks but that's the culture we have and that's what we expect of our men. We excuse them of their bad behaviour just because they are men and we shouldn't.

What brought you here today?
I was just walking by on my way home from work and I just saw this huge crowd and I wanted to check out what's going on. There's always something going on here.

And what do you think of the protest?
To be honest, I still don't have a clear idea what's going on. I think it's something about some rape joke in a school that was on the news.

As a man, have you witnessed rape culture first-hand with your friends?
Yeah, when we are guys just hanging around, some guys do joke about it. Most guys don't like that but there are exceptions who find it funny. As a guy, if you stand up to a joke you just seem like a party pooper because if you don't get a joke it's like you're not cool enough.

What made you guys want to join today?
Wyn: I think it's just such a relevant issue for people our age and any age, boys or girls. Knowing that that school is opposite my school, I just felt like it really affected me. I have been cat-called and sexually harassed and I feel like it's something to talk about.

Charlotte: It should be an unspoken rule, but it's not so this is just a really good opportunity to talk about it.

How do you feel being across from Wellington College?
Wyn: I go to Wellington High School, so I walk past the boys everyday and we cross paths. It makes me uncomfortable to think that somebody from that school has written something so awful. I'm sure some of them are great but, luckily, I don't have much to do with them.

What do you think should be done?
Wyn: I feel like the principal at the school hasn't taken a lot of action and they have kind of made excuses like, "oh they come from good homes". I feel like they need to take recognition of what's happened and say sorry for what they've done and educate their boys more about consent. Teaching boys not to force themselves and not just teaching girls to cover up.

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