Warning: This story contains offensive language and references to sexual violence.
Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan has slammed what she described as a "misogynistic, disgraceful, and utterly unacceptable" spreadsheet compiled by students from Yarra Valley Grammar, an elite boys’ school in Melbourne.
The spreadsheet contained photographs of female students who were ranked from top to bottom as “wifeys”, “cuties”, “mid”, “object”, “get out” and “unrapable”.
The alarming situation came to the attention of the school’s principal Dr Mark Merry after staff discovered a screenshot of the document, which had been uploaded to the messaging app Discord. Three students from the school were subsequently suspended.
According to a report in The Age, the school notified police to examine whether the boys’ use of the term “unrapeable” may constitute a threat to the female students who appeared on the list.
“We have been having, for months now, an ongoing community conversation about how four women every week are losing their lives at the hands of a man,” Premier Allan said on Monday.
“Maybe a current or former partner, maybe a complete stranger. This pattern of violence against women — not only does the act of violence have to stop, but these displays of disrespecting women. It's just disgraceful.”
‘Shocked and outraged’
Dr Merry told ABC News Breakfast the spreadsheet not only used offensive terms but also referenced sexual violence.
“I'm shocked and outraged really. We're attempting to pick up the pieces now. What has been said can't be unsaid and now we're facing the consequences of it here at the school,” Dr Merry said.
The appearance of the word ‘unrapeable’ was what prompted the school to contact police, Dr Merry said.
“We see this as a very serious matter. It's completely counter to everything that we hold dear here at the school,” Dr Merry said.
“We have lots of students in that year level who are outraged, who feel sad, who feel angry and they're rallying around to support these young women.”
It is understood that police are currently investigating who created the spreadsheet and who distributed it.