Teach Us Consent

BY CHRISTIANA ALEXAKIS Christiana is a writer focusing on sustainability, social justice and culture. She holds degrees in Arts and Law from the University of Sydney, and a Master’s of Journalism from Columbia. Algorithms. Artificial intelligence. Cloud computing. Blockchain. In a world burgeoning with technological advancements, these terms get subsumed into mainstream vernacular. And fast. Oftentimes, it happens before the average person can get a grasp on what they actually mean, and...

Step 1: Believe them, and let them know that you do. Survivors want to know they are believed and have people in their corner. Experiencing sexual violence is an isolating experience. People who use violence often deliberately isolate us to gain access to us. We are hurt individually and in isolation, but we heal in our connections with others and our community. Show us you are with us by telling us that you are. Listen to them. Let survivors talk at their own pace, and know they might never...

Explore Resources I view myself as a deeply empathetic person. Which is why, when I was informed by several female friends that my behaviour was inappropriate and crossing a line, I was shocked. I was around 24-25 years old at the time, and in my mind, simply expressing myself and living my best life. But I was blind to how my behaviour was impacting the women in my life, and blind to the misogynistic attitudes that had subtly crept their way into my psyche. I had a few options available to...

ANSWERED BY MARIAH CAUDILLO Mariah is a sex educator and digital learning designer committed to promoting inclusivity and equity in sex education. Her social media presence as the Sex Ed Files allows her to bridge the gap between traditional, school-based sex ed and social media. It’s incredibly brave to name these fears and speak honestly about the tension between your values and your desires. As a 30-year-old who grew up in a Christian household, I’m still unpacking a lot of this too. I...

You’ve probably heard it before–someone mentioning how an ex used to “love bomb” them after a fight, or calling a friend a “gaslighter” for simply forgetting plans. These terms have become deeply woven into how we talk about relationships, especially on social media. But while they’re often thrown around casually, both are actually serious methods of coercive control, and deserve to be understood in that context. Recently, we were introduced to the idea of concept creep by our friend Georgia...