Sexual violence at school: QS presents a bill
Take two of the bill against sexual violence in schools, carried by the member for Mercier and responsible for Quebec solidaire (QS) in terms of education, Ruba Ghazal. This is the second filing of such a document by Québec solidaire in the last 18 months. This project will be presented next Thursday to the National Assembly.
Bill 397 enjoys the support of the other opposition parties. Québec solidaire held a press briefing on Sunday, at which the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) spokesperson for education, Marwah Rizqy, that of the Parti québécois (PQ) Méganne Perry-Mélançon, as well as the collective La voix youth account, attended.
I know that Minister Drainville is sensitive to the issue of sexual violence in schools, but the actions taken are not enough. We can no longer be satisfied with being indignant and triggering piecemeal investigations when cases arise in the media. It’s time to act upstream, and that’s what I propose with my bill.
– including general and vocational training – the adoption of a policy aimed at combating sexual violence. It also oversees complaint processes and support and accompaniment services for victims and aggressors.
Remember that a framework law aimed at preventing and combating sexual violence has already existed in colleges and universities since 2017.
“When we know that more than half of the victims of sexual offenses recorded by the police are minors, it does not make sense that we have no framework law to protect young people in primary and secondary schools. It’s this blind spot that we are trying to correct at Québec solidaire,” says Québec solidaire spokesperson, Manon Massé.
They and they had the courage to speak out, do we have the political courage to act now?
Marwah Rizqy, MNA for Saint-Laurent and Official Opposition Critic for Education
< p>As a general rule, opposition bills are tabled in parliament. But the PQ says it hopes this case will be different. “We therefore offer our full cooperation so that the bill is called to the National Assembly as soon as possible,” said PQ spokesperson for education, Méganne Perry-Mélançon.
The collective “The voice of young people counts” already fears that in 2023 other cases of sexual violence in schools will make the headlines and deplores that the authorities do not address the problem head-on. “It is the young people who will pay – once again – the bill for our inaction. It’s time that we really focus on this problem”, launched Kenza Chahidi, member of the collective.
The collective The voice of young people counts has also challenged all the Service Centers (CSS), private educational establishments and school staff in order to unite their voices with those of young people and demand a framework law so that no more students ask to be “heard, believed and protected”.< /p>
