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Consent education is now mandatory in all Australian schools

Education ministers across Australia have “unanimously” agreed that consent education should be mandated at all schools.

Thank goodness, the next generation of Australian’s aren’t going to be taught consent by a stupid milkshake video.

The government has finally given in to mounting public pressure to introduce compulsory lessons in consent – one of the many areas of sex education that are severely lacking.

Consent
Credit: Getty Images

An age-appropriate consent curriculum will be rolled out across the nation’s schools next year for students in Kindergarten, all the way up to year 10.

The mandatory lessons will cover important topics that aren’t currently taught in schools, such as gendered stereotypes, coercion, and power imbalances.

It’s a major milestone for bringing an end to a culture of sexual assault, and once again, it’s been the efforts of women that have provoked action.

Sex education activist Chanel Contos has been an essential voice in the development of the law. She posted on Instagram to express her relief after hearing the news, “Today marks exactly one year since we launched a petition demanding for earlier and more holistic consent education to be mandated in Australian schools.”

 

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Contos organised a petition last year after posting a poll on her Instagram story. The poll asked: “If you live in Sydney: have you or has anyone close to you ever experienced sexual assault from someone who went to an all boys school?”

Activist Chanel Contos was a leading voice behind the changes | Credit: India Hartford Davis

Overwhelmingly, 73 percent of respondents answered “Yes” to the poll, and more than 44,000 people signed Contos’ petition to introduce compulsory consent education in all Australian schools.

Contos’ post continued, “To everyone who submitted a testimony, signed a petition, shared a post or had a hard conversation with a friend or loved one: thank you, and congratulations. We did it.”