In response to the sexual assaults both on campus and off campus in Kitsap County High Schools, we wanted to issue a statement and support for the students, families and community members who are working diligently to change the culture that accepts sexual assault and harm. Our county is known for turning a blind eye to sexual assault in many systemic contexts, including the following: faith communities, education systems, and more. We believe that the change of this culture starts in the home - where we teach our sons and daughters about consent, the right to say NO at any point in a sexual encounter, and the right to be believed when harm does occur.
Resources for Learning about Consent:
https://www.rainn.org/articles/what-is-consent
"What is consent?
Consent is an agreement between participants to engage in sexual activity. Consent should be clearly and freely communicated. A verbal and affirmative expression of consent can help both you and your partner to understand and respect each other’s boundaries.
Consent cannot be given by individuals who are underage, intoxicated or incapacitated by drugs or alcohol, or asleep or unconscious. If someone agrees to an activity under pressure of intimidation or threat, that isn’t considered consent because it was not given freely. Unequal power dynamics, such as engaging in sexual activity with an employee or student, also mean that consent cannot be freely given.
When you’re engaging in sexual activity, consent is about communication. And it should happen every time for every type of activity. Consenting to one activity, one time, does not mean someone gives consent for other activities or for the same activity on other occasions. For example, agreeing to kiss someone doesn’t give that person permission to remove your clothes. Having sex with someone in the past doesn’t give that person permission to have sex with you again in the future. It’s important to discuss boundaries and expectations with your partner prior to engaging in any sexual behavior.
You can withdraw consent at any point if you feel uncomfortable. One way to do this is to clearly communicate to your partner that you are no longer comfortable with this activity and wish to stop. Withdrawing consent can sometimes be challenging or difficult to do verbally, so non-verbal cues can also be used to convey this. The best way to ensure that all parties are comfortable with any sexual activity is to talk about it, check in periodically, and make sure everyone involved consents before escalating or changing activities."
Kitsap Sun quotes:
Link Article: https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/2021/10/02/north-kitsap-students-demand-school-district-make-campus-safer-show-solidarity-survivors-sexual-viol/5891493001/
"North Kitsap school students have hit the streets five times in the last two weeks to bring attention to sexual misconduct and sexual assault both on campus and off and what they say is a culture of sexualization that they want school officials to address.
The teens are tired of hearing their classmates being hurt, they said. Some said they have been victims of unwanted touching at school, and in some cases, sexual assault, both on- and off-campus. Some said they came to support peers who they hear are survivors of sexual assault."
"how we can avoid our assaulters."
(To Sign the Petition: https://www.change.org/p/kingston-highschool-hold-rapists-in-nksd-accountable?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_30832795_en-US%3A3&recruiter=1065753321&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=tap_basic_share&utm_term=G%3ESearch%3ESAP%3EUS%3ENonBrand%3EAll-Match-Types)
Petition Statement:
"Schools in NKSD have repeatedly swept cases of rape and assault of students under the rug. For years even before I was in highschool the staff at NKHS and KHS have looked the other way when a student is crying for help. There have been 20+ people who have came forward within the last 4 days telling me how their school in NKSD has silenced them for YEARS. These rapists and assaulters have been getting away with this for years, some since they were 12 years old. These are your DAUGHTERS and your SONS your CHILDREN who are crying for help. We do NOT feel safe in a school where rapists get to roam free. We students and parents of NKSD demand investigations into these rapists , we demand change in our schools, we demand that we have the right to go to school everyday and feel safe. WE WANT CHANGE. "
A petition at Change.org being circulated among students at the protests and walkouts calls for "investigations into these rapists" by the school district and has been signed by 1,300 people so far."
"School officials say they have heard students' messages. A school district spokeswoman said in response to emailed questions from the Kitsap Sun that the district follows the state's mandatory reporting laws — which require school personnel to report cases of suspected physical or sexual abuse to law enforcement.
The district "takes all allegations of harm and abuse very seriously, and we always investigate these reports," NKSD spokeswoman Jenn Markaryan wrote to the Kitsap Sun in an email.
Markaryan said a response team is trained to respond to reports of sexual assault. Because of privacy laws, the district can't share the results of investigations or individual discipline, she said.
In response to the protests, school principals are working with students to understand how students can best be supported and to find ways to continue to improve systems and wrap-around supports for students, Markaryan said.
"Each and every adult in our school district cares deeply about our students and their well-being," Markaryan wrote.
Additionally, the district is working on schoolwide education efforts in regard to sexual abuse and reporting, Markaryan said.
The district has also implemented age-appropriate sex education in line with state mandates passed by voters and the Legislature in 2020.
In 2020, the Washington State Legislature and voters passed Senate Bill 5395, which requires all public schools to provide comprehensive sexual health education by the 2022–23 school year, with some requirements beginning in the 2020-21 school year.
Markaryan said the district recommends a student who has been sexually assaulted talk to their school counselor or school administrator. But, students can talk to any adult they trust at school since all staff are mandatory reporters and all are trained annually on the requirements and processes for mandatory reporting, she said.
North Kitsap school counselors' contact information can be found at http://nkschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=419589&pageId=565053."
Reach breaking news reporter Peiyu Lin at pei-yu.lin@kitsapsun.com or on Twitter @peiyulintw.