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According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the rate of sexual violence against women has increased noticeably in the last five years.
To combat this issue, Merici College – a Catholic all girls’ school, located in Canberra – has launched a new program that provides self-defence training to girls.
The launch of the program, which coincided with national child safety week, was done in partnership with Jasiri Australia, a youth-led organisation who aims to equip young women with skills and to ultimately end violence.
Below, The Educator speaks to the College’s acting principal, Phil Coe, to find out more.
TE: This is certainly a remarkable program! How did the school’s partnership with Jasiri Australia come about?
PC: Jasiri Australia’s CEO, Caitlin Figueiredo, is a former Merici College student and while this has allowed for our partnership to develop quickly through an established connection, it is the shared philosophy to support the empowerment of young women that has been the key component for us to work together to develop the program for our students. Caitlin spoke recently at our academic awards ceremony and absolutely captivated our students with her story of resilience, hard work and overcoming challenges.
TE: What level of student engagement have you seen with this program since its inception at the school, and to what extent do you expect it to thrive?
PC: The implementation of the program is still in its early stages. Our Year 10 students were the first to be trained last week through their Physical Education lessons. This first session was highly successful not just from a physical aspect but also through the supporting discussion that accompanied them. The students were highly engaged and are clearly looking forward to the next session. Merici College’s vertical Pastoral Care system will allow us to utilise the knowledge and skills gained by the students and incorporate them into our weekly pastoral program to try and ensure that it is embedded into the culture.
TE: As a principal, do you feel that this program could eventually become a game-changer in terms of female empowerment and countering violence against women?
PC: I’m hoping that the program allows all Merici College students to identify situations that have an impact of their own safety and for them to be able to use strategies to remove themselves from potential harm. While the program has a focus on some physical protection techniques, we hope that this is a last resort. The program to us is about building confidence and for reflection on the bigger safety picture relating to control over their own well-being and consent as well as providing a platform for them to be leaders in this area in the wider community.