Building Consent Communities
In our efforts to prevent sexual and intimate partner violence, it’s so important we not only take a stand against violence but also envision healthy and joyful alternatives. This is why building consent communities is a key part of our work. We most often define consent as a clear and enthusiastic “yes,” which is an active, voluntary, and verbal agreement that happens as a process and a conversation. Yet consent is not just about individual actions or behaviors, but rather exists within all relationship dynamics, cultural beliefs, and larger societal systems. Building a consent culture requires we normalize and encourage the everyday use of consent in all interactions. Below are a few of our projects and resources to support your efforts to promote consent.
The Teach Consent campaign was designed to promote healthy relationships among youth ages 11 to 16 and consists of a short video and discussion guide. Not all youth are dating, but most have probably thought about what it means to be in a dating relationship. Attitudes and beliefs formed during these critical years will most likely affect how they treat their dating partners now and in the future. An important step of preventing sexual abuse and dating violence is ensuring youth have access to accurate information, opportunities to think critically, and practice consent skills.
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- The ASK.LISTEN. RESPECT. video provides youth concrete examples of how to ask for consent, what enthusiastic, verbal consent looks like, and how to accept “no” as normal boundary-setting in relationships.
- The video and accompanying discussion guides can help spark conversations with teens about respectful relationships, the importance of consent, and how teens can ask for and give consent in their friendships and dating relationships. The activities can be used in a classroom setting, with a small group of tweens/teens, or one-on-one with an adult who can lead an informed discussion.
- Access the discussion guide created for parents here: http://www.teachconsent.org/parents
- Access the discussion guide created for group facilitators here: http://www.teachconsent.org/facilitators