Mandatory consent education is a huge win for Australia – but consent is just one small part of navigating relationships

<https://theconversation.com/mandatory-consent-education-is-a-huge-win-for-australia-but-consent-is-just-one-small-part-of-navigating-relationships-177456>

"One year after activist Chanel Contos’ Instagram poll revealed more than 6,700
testimonies of sexual assault – often at high school parties – education
ministers around Australia have unanimously agreed to mandate consent education
in schools from 2023.

All Australian schools will be required to teach age-appropriate consent
education – which includes coercion, gendered stereotypes and power imbalances
– from foundation to year 10.

Currently, one in five women in Australia has experienced some form of sexual
violence, with one in four of these being under 18 at the time. Evidence shows
preventive education, including information on consent, is a powerful tool in
reducing sexual assault.

So, a commitment to mandatory consent education is worth celebrating.

But the details around what schools can teach, what teachers are willing to
teach, and what parents are willing to accept, are complex. And an exclusive
focus on safety may come at the cost of the enjoyable benefits of human
connection."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics