FILE PHOTO - Students protesting on the steps of Mount Boucherie Secondary

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A rally organized by students today is aiming to bring awareness to issues around sexual assault.

Ollie Fodell, a recent graduate of Kelowna Secondary School, is organizing, along with other students, a rally in Kelowna’s Stuart Park, Feb. 27, at noon.

In recent weeks, protests have been held at Central Okanagan high schools, stemming from a protest at a West Kelowna high school. The RCMP is conducting a sexual assault investigation but could not comment further as the matter involves minors.

“What we’re planning for this to be is, sort of, a support and continuation of the protests against sexual violence that have been happening across different high schools in the Central Okanagan and across B.C. and across Canada,” Fodell said.

Rally organizers will be providing resources promoting safe sex, an open mic as well as condoms, lube and naloxone kits.

“We’re just hoping for it to be a welcoming, informative, safe space,” he said. The rally will then be followed by a march.

“I think it is, in this case, to support victims and survivors and give them the tools to grow themselves,” he said.

He said the school district could do more, by talking more about consent and having updated sexual education resources and by offering tools and resources to those who have experienced sexual assaults.

Last week, Central Okanagan Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Kaardal said, in a statement, when a school is made aware of an allegation, district protocol is followed in conjunction with the RCMP and Elizabeth Fry Society.

“It is important to know that the vast majority of allegations we receive are events that have taken place in the community or private residences,” he said.

“School and district staff have spent dozens of hours listening to the concerned students, supporting safe events where their voices can be heard, and reviewing the many actions, services and supports that exist in the School District and community to support young people in making good decisions and to support healing when events occur that cause harm.”

The school district is concerned by social media posts that present threats, racist comments, hateful comments and false information being raised by students with good intentions and is working with Safer Schools B.C. to try and stop the negative impacts as well as contacting the RCMP, Kaardal said.

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