Content Warning: This article about sexual consent discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know is affected by the following story, you are not alone. To speak to someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
Victorian state schools will be adding sexual consent education to mandatory curriculum, as the obvious lacking of sufficient and constructive education in place can no longer go ignored.
As reported by The Age, Victorian Education Minister James Merlino has said that this update will transform vague concepts taught in schools, “to expressly addressing matters of sexual consent.”
This crucial update in the Victorian education system comes after an atrocious couple of months in both Australia and around the world, leading a Sydney student to take a stand by starting petition to call for “earlier and more holistic consent education in the NSW curriculum”.
Right now the petition has collected 38,000 signatures and more than 3,500 testimonies.
On the petition, NSW Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said, “If there is one really strong message here, and I think we have heard that message very strongly this week, if you are brave enough to put up your hand and say something is happening, we need to listen and we need to make sure the supports are available so firstly that you feel you can, but the most important thing is that we need to prevent this happening in the first place.”
“It is an issue that can happen across all schools, public and private.”
As per ABC News, respectful relationships education is currently a core part of the Victorian curriculum and it recently became mandatory in all state schools. And according to Employment Minister Jaala Pulford, the update to focus on sexual consent will build on the current program.
She said, “This will build on the current program which is significant and does cover consent. But what we’re hearing from students is that they believe that an expansion and a greater depth to this training is required.”
“We’ll work with education experts and also young people to understand where the opportunities are for the best possible education for boys and girls, and people who are almost young men and young women, in the school system in a way that’s age appropriate but also provides a very deep understanding for everyone about what consent means and why it matters.”
Watch ABC News’ segment on the call for consent education in schools.
