Teach Us Consent
Consent and relationships education to help you navigate the world with empathy and respect.
Porn age-checks: What you need to know
It’s natural to feel unsure about these new age-check rules. Many parents are asking the same questions you are, and it’s wonderful that you’re taking it upon yourself to learn so you can support young people. First, we should start off by recognising that age verification technology is a tool that will primarily help limit accidental exposure of pornographic materials to young people, many who are several years from having their first sexual experiences. This sole mechanism is more of a...
How to best support survivors
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...
Preparing teens for online dating
SARAH CASPER ANSWERSSarah is a consent educator, the founder of Comprehensive Consent, and the author of The Kids and Consent Curriculum. “Making the decision to have a child - it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” – Elizabeth Stone, Author Before we jump in, I want to highlight how meaningful the phrasing of your question is. You ask about how you prepare your children rather than how you protect them. Too often, victims and...
"My behaviour crossed a line. Here's how I changed"
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...
"My Christian upbringing has made me scared of sex"
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...
Calling in > calling out
BY GINA MARTINGina is a multi-award winning gender equality activist, writer, facilitator and speaker most well known for introducing anti-upskirting legislation in England and Wales, and running workshops on gender for Tomorrow Woman across Australia. You can follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and subscribe to her newsletter here. Loretta J Ross popularised the idea of “calling in” – coined by student Loan Trần in 2018 – as a new way of responding to harm. Instead of calling people out and...
Red flags of coercive control
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...
"Am I being love bombed?"
“ I’ve been seeing this guy since the start of the year and I’m so into him. He was amazing when we first went out, he bought me dinner and flowers, was super complimentary of me and dropped me home. I then didn’t hear from him for a whole week, before he messaged suggesting we hang out, so I stayed over at his house that night. I didn’t hear from him for another week after that then he sent me all these intense messages about how much he’s into me etc. Those messages went on for a few days...
Moving beyond 'stranger danger' education
BY VICTORIA BARENDSENVictoria is a registered psychologist and founder of The Safe Kids Project. Like me, you probably grew up hearing the phrase stranger danger, believing that sexual harm only happened when walking home from school or playing at the park. Our parents, with limited knowledge about the complexities of sexual abuse, often thought they were keeping us safe by simply saying, “Don’t talk to strangers.” While this advice addresses a small fraction of the risk, the reality is far...
"I'm terrified about what boys are exposed to"
“ My oldest nephew is six and recently said something really inappropriate and sexual while I was looking after him. It was quite derogatory towards women, and when I asked where he heard it, he said another boy at school had said it to him. I was pretty shocked. My sister reported it to the school, and to their credit, they took it seriously — the other boy’s parents were contacted and he’s been spoken to. My sister feels a bit more reassured now, but I’m still feeling anxious about what the...
Consent and relationships education to help you navigate the world with empathy and respect.