School toilet blocks will soon be given strict security in a bid to reduce inappropriate sexual behaviour between students.

There are reports that some Queensland schools are remodelling their toilet blocks and putting them under strict security in a bid to reduce inappropriate sexual behaviour between students.

An article published in The Courier-Mail highlighted that with people under 19 now responsible for more than 40 per cent of all sex crimes schools were rethinking their designs to keep kids safe.

Bravehearts criminologist Carol Ronken said poorly designed areas in schools, such as toilets and playgrounds, gave children opportunities to act out sexually.

“All too often children are placed in vulnerable situations because windows are covered up, toilet cubicles are left open, or there are areas that are blocked away from easy monitoring,” Ms Ronken said.

She pointed to one case at a Queensland childcare centre where a young boy repeatedly cornered his peers in play areas, toilets, or the book corner and grabbed their genitals.

“With at least three victims, the young boy tried to digitally penetrate them,” she said. “He would threaten them to ensure they would not tell.”

This month The Courier-Mail revealed that the number of sexual assaults by children had soared since 2010, with people aged 19 and under now responsible for more than 40 per cent of all sex crimes.

Writer Melinda Tankard Reist, co-founder of Collective Shout, said the alarming rise in child-on-child sexual assaults had prompted schools to rethink how they could keep their students safe.

“I’ve had at least three principals tell me they are redesigning their toilets to keep kids safe at school, and another school put a security guard on the toilet block,” Tankard Reist said.

She said some of the changes included moving basins inside cubicles.

An Education Queensland spokeswoman said the Government was committed to providing a safe environment for all state school students and staff.

Last week we shared the story of a Four-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted by nine-year-old boy.

We reported recently on two, YES TWO, stories of school assaults. An intellectually disabled 6 year old primary school girl who was lured into the school toilets and abused by two male students while two others stood guard! And two 12-year-old boys have been charged with raping a 6-year-old girl at a school.

Protecting children from sexual abuse via ACT government

Some great tips to teach our children to be aware and stay safe include,
Make time to talk
Talk about what being safe means and what it feels like
Teach children that their body is theirs
Help your child to make a list of adults they feel safe with

Have clear boundaries for personal privacy in your home so that children learn this is a normal part of life.

This includes:
•respecting a child’s ‘no’ to being touched
•not making them kiss someone if they don’t want to. They might want to shake hands instead
•giving them privacy in the toilet or shower as long as it’s safe.

Safety in public places

Teach children to avoid risks away from home, including:
•not going off alone
•being alert to what’s going on around them
•running to where you are, or to a group of people, if a stranger approaches them.

If they walk to school, make sure they:
•always walk with others
•keep close to fences and away from the road
•go into the nearest shop or front yard of a house if they are scared. If really scared, knock on the door and ask the person to call home but don’t go inside.

If you or someone you know are a victim of sexual abuse please contact Lifeline: 13 11 14

This needs to be across all states ASAP! Do you agree?

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Read more:

• Six year old sexually abused at recess, cries for mummy went unheard
• Protect Your Child From Sexual Abuse

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