Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Victorian Government Schools

LOUD fence ribbons on school fences

LOUD fence is a community movement where victim-survivors of child sexual abuse, their loved ones and supporters tie brightly coloured ribbons to fences and public spaces as a symbol of support, awareness and solidarity.

Ribbons on a fence can be an important opportunity for school leaders and communities to:

• show support and solidarity for former students who have experienced child sexual abuse
• encourage a school community to collectively ensure everything is being done to help prevent similar abuse from happening again
• support open and transparent conversations about child sexual abuse, child safety, and the importance of listening to children and young people.

A LOUD fence can be accompanied by conversations or activities that raise awareness of child safety, encourage speaking up about concerns, and help empower children and young people to recognise unsafe behaviours and seek help.

Starting a LOUD fence

Principals, staff, families, school councils, victim-survivors, supporters and community members can start the conversation for creating a LOUD fence at a school. Anyone in the community can be involved in creating the LOUD fence.

Creating a LOUD fence can begin with you, or with survivors or others in your school community approaching the school about the idea. It can involve:

1. talking with your school community (including any survivors or families that are impacted who have contacted you) about creating a LOUD fence and what it represents
2. choosing a suitable location where the ribbons will be visible to students, families and visitors
3. considering how to introduce the LOUD fence in a way that is meaningful for your school. This may include a ribbon-tying event, an assembly, a student-led activity or activity for certain year levels, or another community activity
4. explaining the purpose through your school newsletter or other communication channels, highlighting your commitment to child safety. This can include information on any plans for the ribbons when/if they are removed (for example the creation of a more permanent art piece by students, tying it in with child safety conversations).

Conversations and questions about a LOUD fence

A LOUD fence can be a safe and supportive way to engage students in conversations about child safety.

For example, in primary schools some age appropriate ways of talking about why the ribbons are on the fence and what they represent could include phrases like:

• You may see ribbons on our school fence. These ribbons are to remember children in the past whose voices were not heard when they were feeling unsafe.
• The ribbons are about keeping children safe. They remind big people to listen to little people.
• The ribbons can mean different things to different people but mainly people tie them there as a sign of wanting children to feel safe and to be safe.
• Sometimes people tie them there because they know of a child who didn’t feel safe, and they want to show that child, who might even be a grown up now, that they care about them.
• They are a good reminder to all of us that if children don’t feel safe or someone is doing something to them that makes them feel unsafe, or sad, or uncomfortable or not respected, then they should try to tell an adult like their parents or another adult they feel safe with, who can help them.

In secondary schools, some useful prompts for talking to students might be:

• You may have noticed coloured ribbons tied to the school fence and wondered what they are for.
• The ribbons are part of something called a LOUD fence. The ribbons are there to acknowledge students who were harmed at our school in the past and to remind us that it must never happen again.
• A LOUD fence is a way for a community to show that it stands with people who experienced child sexual abuse (for younger students you can refer to 'people who have been harmed in a place where they should have been safe'). It is a visible sign that says: we see you, we believe you, and what happened to you matters.
• The ribbons are there as a reminder for all of us to ensure schools are safe places for students to learn and thrive and of the importance of listening to students if they don’t feel safe or if they disclose abuse, and taking steps to make them safe.

Children and young people (especially secondary age students) are often aware that abuse can happen in communities. Honest, respectful and age-appropriate conversations can help build understanding, trust and confidence in speaking up and can be linked to schools’ existing Respectful Relationships and Sexuality and Consent Education.

Support for schools creating or responding to a LOUD fence

Schools considering a LOUD fence, or responding to any requests to tie ribbons to the fence, are welcome to contact the department’s Restorative Engagement and Support team for advice and support:

• Phone: 03 9057 4500
• Email: REST@education.vic.gov.au

The Restorative Engagement and Support team can support you to create (or respond to) a LOUD fence in a way that is right for your school, including providing you with tailored communications and speaking points for your community.

More information about the LOUD fence movement is available on their website: LOUD fence Inc.