Consent Education is Violence Prevention
For May, Sexual Violence Prevention Month, DWS will be posting more info about sexual violence, prevention, and consent.
Bar and restaurant staff! Learn skills to prevent sexual violence in this FREE & not boring workshop DWS is facilitating on May 24 & 31. More info and sign up here.
Image description: Text 'Consent Education is Violence Prevention' on background of purple northern lights and illustrations of many different people
We’ve come such a long way since 2015 when the ‘consent is like a cup of tea’ video came out and all of a sudden it felt like every timeline was full of convos about how consent is foundational to almost every relationship and not really that difficult to figure out - if you take the time to really listen…
(If you thought the consent tea vid is awesome, we encourage you to get into ‘consent for kids’ which is amazing for folks of all ages. Consent for kids builds on the tea video with actual things you can say when an auntie is coming in for a hug at a feast and even gets to talking about bodily autonomy in a way that’s great for kids and adults!)
Consent as an essential skill is not a trend though.
At DWS, we’re interested in not just helping those who need support after violence, abuse, coercion, and harassment has happened, but preventing violence from happening.
Learning about consent is actually a fabulous way to prevent gendered violence, especially sexual violence.
What Is Consent?
In Canada, consent is covered the criminal code, but that’s just a minimum and who really wants just the minimum?
Image description: Consent infographic created by Planned Parenthood. In middle of image ‘con ● sent’ with headings above and below separated by pink dotted lines: ‘Ongoing: Anyone can change their mind about what they’re interested in doing, anytime. Freely given: Saying ‘yes’ without pressure or manipulation. Specific: Saying ‘yes’ to one act doesn’t mean you’ve said ‘yes’ to others. Informed: Not deceiving or lying. For example, if someone says they’ll use a condom and then they don’t, there isn’t consent. Enthusiastic: It’s about wanting to do something, not feeling like you have to or should do something.’
Consent is:
Ongoing: Anyone can change their mind about what they’re interested in doing, anytime
Freely given: Saying ‘yes’ without pressure or manipulation
Specific: Saying ‘yes’ to one act doesn’t mean you’ve said ‘yes’ to others
Informed: Not deceiving or lying. For example, if someone says they’ll use a condom and then they don’t, there isn’t consent.
Enthusiastic: It’s about wanting to do something, not feeling like you have to or should do something.
Text and images created by Planned Parenthood
Consent should be universal
….aaaaaaand the laws in Canada are different than our neighbours.
OPHEA teamed up with kick-ass activist Julie Lalonde to make a quick video about Canadian consent law.
“If someone is guilt-tripping you, or making you feel like if you don’t agree to something they are going to break up with you or spread rumours about you, that person is trying to coerce you and that is not ok.”
Julie talks about consent and alcohol in the video. Read more about navigating consent and alcohol here.
Education to Prevention
Most violence prevention has been focused on those most at risk of being hurt (think about what rape prevention strategies we give young women and which we give to young men…). This strategy of telling young women to ‘not get raped’ has been spectacularly ineffective at preventing or ending violence.
Violence prevention happens when 33% or more community members take daily steps to change from a culture where sexual violence is just an expected part of life for some folks (this is called a ‘rape schedule’) to sexual violence being something we all have a role in preventing.
XYonline collected some studies about the effectiveness of consent education:
National data finds that many students report that sexuality education is not taught early enough, basic and limited in its content, does not explore emotional aspects of sex and sexuality, relationships, pleasure, or consent, neglects LGBTI needs, and too often relies on scare tactics and focuses on abstinence. At the same time, students also report positive experiences, of sexuality education that was informative and comprehensive, inclusive and open (Waling et al. 2020).
Sexuality education must address gender and power. Research finds that in sexuality education, programs with content on gender and power were more effective than programs without these. Programs with content on gender and power showed significant decreases in pregnancy or STIs, more so than program without such content. The programs that addressed gender or power were five times as likely to be effective as those that did not (Haberland, 2015).
Comprehensive sexuality education can lessen the perpetration of sexual violence because it addresses many of the risk factors associated with perpetration and reaches young people at a developmentally appropriate age (Schneider & Hirsch, 2018).
Among undergraduate students in a US study, those students who had received school-based sex education promoting refusal skills before age 18 had lower levels of sexual assault victimisation since entering university (termed ‘college’ in the US system). While comprehensive sexuality educaton was protective against later victimisation, abstinence-only instruction was not. As the study notes, “Pre-college comprehensive sexuality education, including skills-based training in refusing unwanted sex, may be an effective strategy for preventing sexual assault in college [university].” (Santelli et al., 2018, p. 2)
Read all the stats and with citations here.
What Asking For Consent Really Looks Like
Until consent and sex education is universal, we’re going to have to fill in the gaps by sharing info and having conversations with friends and family, as well as practicing consent in sexy and not sexy ways everyday.
We’ve gotten to the place where most folks are understanding that:
Image created by Sama Al-Zanoon @short.fuse for SACHA
Image description: Infographic with text: Consent isn't that complicated. 1. Ask! Words are best. 'Is this okay?' 2. Really listen! Anything other than a 'heck yes!' is a 'no'. "I don't know..." "Let's slow down." 3. Make space for a 'no'. You don't have to be excited to hear 'no'. Using anger, pressure, or bargaining to get a 'yes' is not consent. "No" "I understand" 4. 'Yes' can change to 'no' at anytime. "Its this still okay?" "I'm not feeling it anymore"
@SACHAhamont Graphic by Sama Al-Zanoon @short.fuse
Consent is essential
Asking with words is often the best way to get clear consent
We’ve still got lots of learning to do, so here’s some next steps to upping our understanding what clear consent communication can look like:
ASK! Words are best.
REALLY LISTEN! Anything other than a ‘heck yes!’ is a ‘no’.
MAKE SPACE FOR A ‘NO’. You don’t have to be excited to hear ‘no’. Using anger, pressure, or bargaining to get a ‘yes’ is not consent.
‘YES’ CAN CHANGE TO ‘NO’ AT ANY TIME.
What are some of your fave consent resources?
MORE SUPPORTS
YUKON SUPPORTS
Women’s Shelters:
Whitehorse
24 Hour Crisis Line - 867.668.5733
Dawson City
Dawson Women’s Shelter
24 Hour Support Line - 867.993.5086
Watson Lake
24 Hour Crisis Line - 867.536.7233
SART - Sexualized Assault Response Team
24 hour Yukon-based support for someone who has been sexually assaulted or their supporters. 1-844-967-7275
Website: yukon.ca/en/sartyukon/home
Victim Services provides help for victims dealing with a range of different crimes. It does not matter whether the victim has reported the crime, a charge has been laid or if there has been a conviction. We provide services to all people affected by a crime.
Whitehorse - 867-667-8500
Dawson City - 867-993-5831
Website: yukon.ca/en/legal-and-social-supports/supports-victims-crime/find-out-about-victim-services
CMHA Reach Out Support Line operates from 10am to 2am seven days a week with trained volunteers who will listen, support and help callers find options. 1-844-533-3030
Website: yukon.cmha.ca
Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services provides a variety of services, including individual counselling, outreach services, and community support. 1-866-456-3838
Website: yukon.ca/en/places/mental-wellness-and-substance-use-services
Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Support Centre
Wellness is an important part of our spirit. The TH Wellness team uses a traditional approach to help our citizens. 867.993.7100 x164.
Website: trondek.ca/health.php
CANADA-WIDE SUPPORTS
Assaulted Women’s Helpline
Toll-free: 1 866-863-0511
Website: awhl.org
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Support Line a national, toll-free 24/7 crisis call line providing support for anyone who requires emotional assistance related to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. 1-844-413-6649
Website: rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca
National Indian Residential School Crisis Line provides 24-hour crisis support to former Indian Residential School students and their families toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.
Website: sac-isc.gc.ca
Hope for Wellness Help Line is available to all Indigenous peoples across Canada who need immediate crisis intervention. Experienced and culturally sensitive help line counsellors can help if you want to talk or are distressed. 1-855-242-3310
Website: sac-isc.gc.ca
TransLifeline’s Hotline is a peer support service run by trans people, for trans and questioning callers. Our operators are located all over the U.S. and Canada, and are all trans-identified. We will do our best to support you and provide you resources. 1-877-330-6366.
Website: translifeline.org
Crisis Services Canada is available to all Canadians seeking support. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call the Canada Suicide Prevention Service at 1-833-456-4566 (24/7) or text 45645 (7PM - 3AM PST).
Website: suicideprevention.ca
Kids Help Phone is available 24 hours a day to Canadians aged 5 to 29 who want confidential and anonymous care from professional counsellors. Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868
Website: kidshelpphone.ca
