An Alberta school chat listed girls to assault. The response shows Canada still has a rape culture problem
Publish Date: 2026-06-29 16:26:00
Source Domain: theconversation.com
- The term “rape culture” describes a societal normalization of violence against women, girls, and gender-diverse people, often involving victim blaming and perpetrator excuses.
- Recently, a disturbing incident involving boys at Camrose Composite High School in Alberta used Snapchat to discuss sexually assaulting or mutilating girls, with one boy identifying himself as a “rapist.”
- Technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including stalking, surveiling, harassment, and humiliation through digital means, is increasingly prevalent, especially among youth.
- Responding to this incident, students at Camrose Composite High School protested, indicating a shift towards raising awareness and demanding proper action against gender-based violence.
- The school exhibited traits of Canada’s broader rape culture, including a culture of impunity and gender-neutral language, which downplays the gendered nature of gender-based violence and dilutes effective intervention and communication.
- Canada’s gender-based violence problem remains serious, with decreasing overall violent crime but rising gender-based violence, particularly among marginalized groups like Indigenous women, transgender and gender-diverse people, women of color, and women with disabilities.
- Positive responses to violence incidents involve acknowledging victims’ experiences, providing them with support, and addressing the socio-cultural expectations on gender roles, particularly for men and boys, to create healthier social norms.
