Violence against women, it has been in the news a lot recently.
And whether it is extreme cases of love gone wrong like Martha Palma or tragic cases like Sheila Hall, the news is almost never good. And so while headlines come and go today one high school took time out to drive home the point of just how dangerous it is out there.
Look closely at the faces of these Sadie Vernon high students. Yes they are all young teenage girls in high school but as the recent tragic cases of Sheila Hall and Elia Gonzalez show, young women at this age are also under attack.
Deborah Domingo, Principal - Sadie Vernon High
"We want to raise awareness to the issue of violence against women. And I know that it's been discussed often times but we felt that in light of the recent spate of violence on women that we need to highlight it within our own student body."
And it was highlighted this morning during an intense panel discussion led by social workers, domestic violence counselors, and even a magistrate. Magistrate Margaret Gabb-Mckenzie says her message to these teenage girls was that yes: the court is an option.
Margaret Gabb-Mckenzie, Magistrate
"The one thing I have left with them is protect your body, it's yours. If you feel like somebody is violating that body, you have the right to say no."
"I try to reassure females who come to the court because we find out on a daily basis that when offenses are committed against females after a while they come to the court and refuse to testify. And I think that is for economic reasons, it is not out of fear because I would ask them why they want to drop the case; are they afraid, were you threatened and their response would be no. So I just think it is a female thing that they get upset one day and decide to press the charge and then later on the male comes around and gives them something and they decide I don't want to testify because I still love him or because he takes care of me financially. So I think it's not really fear."
But principal Deborah Domingo who heads the all-girl Sadie Vernon high will tell you she hopes it doesn't even have to get to the court. She wants her girls to know that there is help out there.
Deborah Domingo,
We also believe that we have girls in our school community who are hurting and who need the support and we are hoping that from this, they will be encouraged and motivated to know that we care, there are agencies and departments out there that are ready and willing to be of assistance."
And it is assistance, which counselor Florence Goldson says, is out there.
Florence Goldson, Women's Issue Network
"One of the things that can be done is attending lectures like these to learn about the different agencies that are in existence as well as learning about their self-esteem and what they can do to build themselves up as well as they can learn that they can advocate for changes in law and government policies and that they do have a voice and can make a difference."
Some students from St. Mary's primary school also sat in on the session.