tag:theconversation.com,2011:/ca-fr/topics/respectful-relationships-32367/articlesRespectful relationships – La Conversation2021-06-03T02:35:18Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1576902021-06-03T02:35:18Z2021-06-03T02:35:18ZA ‘crowded curriculum’? Sure, it may be complex, but so is the world kids must engage with<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403740/original/file-20210601-17-twdd6j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pile-old-books-dramatic-dim-light-1555865240">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Australian Curriculum is <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/consultation/">going through a review process</a> with proposed changes released for public consultation at the end of April. </p>
<p>When Australian state education ministers commissioned the review in June 2020, the <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/curriculum/ac-review_terms-of-reference_website.pdf">terms of reference</a> specified the aim to “refine and reduce the amount of content across all eight learning areas […] to focus on essential content”. </p>
<p>The draft up for consultation <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/consultation/">states</a>:</p>
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<p>The Review looks to improve the Australian Curriculum by refining, realigning and decluttering the content so it focuses on the essential knowledge and skills students should learn and is clearer for teachers on what they need to teach.</p>
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<p>But is the curriculum actually “cluttered” or “crowded” as commonly claimed? And what does that even mean?</p>
<h2>Who says it’s crowded?</h2>
<p>Claims of the Australian Curriculum being “crowded” have been heard far and wide. For instance, in December 2018 then Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/too-much-being-taught-tehan-says-national-curriculum-is-overcrowded-20181209-p50l5s.html">told a conference</a>:</p>
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<p>Teachers tell me that there is too much being taught and we should be concentrating on developing a deeper understanding of essential content.</p>
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<p>Preliminary research from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority’s (ACARA) <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/media/7058/transcript-talking-the-australian-curriculum-review.pdf">does reveal teachers</a> are in the chorus line of those voicing concerns about the need to refine and reduce the curriculum’s content. </p>
<p>ACARA’s Director of Curriculum Janet Davey <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/media/7058/transcript-talking-the-australian-curriculum-review.pdf">said</a> teachers are looking to the review for clarity about “what it is we want teachers to teach and what it is we want learners to learn”. </p>
<p>Today’s teachers are increasingly called on to play an active role in translating a wide range of contemporary social agendas into age-appropriate curriculum content for their students. This includes fostering young people’s understandings of <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/respectfulrelationships.aspx">respectful relationships</a> , <a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/sexuality-education/policy">consent</a> , <a href="https://earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/fundingAndSupport/Documents/eatsips_2011.pdf">cultural awareness</a> and the <a href="https://www.sustainableschoolsnsw.org.au/teach/climate-change">environment</a>. </p>
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<p>While few would reject the importance of these issues having a presence in the contemporary curriculum, they inevitably add to the time and content demands already placed on teachers. </p>
<p>At the heart of accusations of a crowded or cluttered curriculum are concerns learning in key areas — such as literacy and numeracy — will be compromised by an insidious creep towards a breadth of content, such as gender and environmental issues. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/proposed-new-curriculum-acknowledges-first-nations-view-of-british-invasion-and-a-multicultural-australia-160011">Proposed new curriculum acknowledges First Nations' view of British 'invasion' and a multicultural Australia</a>
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<p>Of course schools have always been active sites for the delivery of important social policy. Key social agendas associated with population health, welfare, security, nutrition and hygiene have all had prominence in the curriculum at various moments in history. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0046760930220405?journalCode=thed20">historical example</a> of curriculum adaptation to accommodate national priorities can be readily tracked during times of war. Both world wars saw an increase in gender segregation in the curriculum, in which greater emphasis was placed on the disciplining and conditioning of boys, while welfare and health education were heightened for girls. </p>
<h2>Going ‘back to basics’</h2>
<p>Accusations of a crowded curriculum are often amplified following the publication of international educational test results. At the end of 2019, the OECD released the latest results of its Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The <a href="https://theconversation.com/aussie-students-are-a-year-behind-students-10-years-ago-in-science-maths-and-reading-127013">results showed</a>, since PISA first assessed reading literacy in 2000, Australia’s mean score had declined by the equivalent of around three-quarters of a year of schooling. </p>
<p>Australia also trailed 23 countries in maths, and 12 countries in science.</p>
<p>Whenever the comparative performance of Australian students is seen to fall against their international counterparts a blame-game is set in motion.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/pisa-doesnt-define-education-quality-and-knee-jerk-policy-proposals-wont-fix-whatever-is-broken-128389">PISA doesn't define education quality, and knee-jerk policy proposals won't fix whatever is broken</a>
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<p>For instance, <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/education/educationtime-to-take-a-chainsaw-to-the-curriculum/news-story/007d63cfac9c0dc83ac1ebcf8a8e39f1">Dan Tehan had said</a> he was disappointed with the results and would “take a chainsaw” to the Australian Curriculum — again saying it was too “cluttered”. Together with this is generally the declaration for an urgent need to, “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/education-minister-pushes-for-back-to-basics-approach-in-schools-20191209-p53i7z.html">go back to basics</a>”. </p>
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<p>Indeed, successive federal education ministers have called-out the crowded curriculum as a major reason for Australia’s international underperformance in literacy and numeracy (see, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/abbott-government-to-overhaul-crowded-curriculum-20141012-114vrg.html">Christopher Pyne</a>, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/too-much-being-taught-tehan-says-national-curriculum-is-overcrowded-20181209-p50l5s.html">Dan Tehan</a> and current Education Minister <a href="https://ministers.dese.gov.au/tudge/sky-news-andrew-bolt">Alan Tudge</a>.)</p>
<h2>It’s not so simple</h2>
<p>While the rhetoric around stripping back the so-called crowded curriculum has an appealing simplicity, its application is considerably more problematic. </p>
<p>At stake here are the perceived merits of each of the eight key learning areas that comprise the Australian Curriculum. </p>
<p>It would be a hotly contested decision to declare the content associated with any of the eight Learning Areas (English, Maths, Science, The Arts, Humanities, Technologies, Health and Physical Education and Languages) should be purged.</p>
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<p>So rather than concede the curriculum is crowded, ACARA has opted to describe it as cluttered. The prevailing view here is that it is not excessive curriculum content causing teacher angst, but uncertainty about its structure. </p>
<p>ACARA’s CEO David de Carvalho <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/education/curriculum-review-set-to-declutter-students-workload-and-strip-back-lessons/news-story/24702ee6875162805a28b6cdae986c0d">believes clarifying the structure</a> of the Australian Curriculum and the relationship between the three dimensions of the curriculum — Learning Areas, General Capabilities (key skills and dispositions) and Cross-Curriculum Priorities (regional, national and global priorities) — will go a long way to addressing current teacher concerns.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-point-of-education-its-no-longer-just-about-getting-a-job-117897">What's the point of education? It's no longer just about getting a job</a>
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<p>Indeed, ACARA defends the current curriculum’s breadth as <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/education/curriculum-review-set-to-declutter-students-workload-and-strip-back-lessons/news-story/24702ee6875162805a28b6cdae986c0d">necessary for preparing</a> young people for active citizenship in an increasingly complex world. </p>
<h2>A complex world</h2>
<p>So the challenge is to strike a balance between the competing curriculum demands for “back to basics” and the need for “formative futures” — understood as the fundamentals for effective personhood in an increasingly complex world. Numeracy and literacy may be important but they are not enough to prepare young people to be active shapers of the world they live in. </p>
<p>Yes, the curriculum is busy and requires regular updating and refining. But breadth is not the enemy of depth. A balanced curriculum has the power to deliver a wide range of important lessons. </p>
<p>So, rather than rehearsing old rhetoric about the curriculum being crowded, we should shift the focus to the quality of the learning experience, and how we can best nurture productive interactions between teachers and students.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157690/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chris Hickey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>At the heart of accusations of a crowded curriculum are concerns key areas — such as literacy and numeracy — will be compromised by an insidious creep towards content such as gender issues.Chris Hickey, Professor, School of Education, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1582092021-04-01T19:04:16Z2021-04-01T19:04:16ZSexuality education can counter what kids learn from porn, but some teachers fear backlash when tackling ‘risky’ topics<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393011/original/file-20210401-23-1ev7uxs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-watching-video-sexy-women-notebook-768653044">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Thousands of women outlined stories of sexual harassment at private school parties in a petition <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/abuse-that-crosses-generations-is-proof-we-need-new-narrative-on-rape-20210328-p57eqg.html">launched by Chanel Contos</a> recently. Contos is calling for better sexuality education at school, which includes more information about consent.</p>
<p>After the March 4 Justice rally demanding better treatment of women in workplaces, schools and society several boys from Melbourne’s private Wesley College <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-17/complaint-over-wesley-college-boys-sexist-comments/100014474">made misogynistic comments</a> on a bus.</p>
<p>Wesley’s principal Nick Evans called the behaviour unacceptable and told the ABC pornography was a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=1061963600956321&ref=watch_permalink">source of sex education</a> for many students and “has to be a huge part of the conversation” in tackling violence against women. </p>
<p>Better sexuality education which teaches respect can go some way to counter the lessons young people take from pornography. </p>
<p>But our study on the delivery of sexuality education found some teachers were anxious about parental fear, negative media and political hysteria. Unfortunately, the teachers we spoke to considered teaching sexuality “risky”. </p>
<p>Consequently, schools and teachers in our study were watering down content, excluding some material and shutting down conversations. </p>
<h2>Pornography and sex education</h2>
<p>One of the reasons young people use pornography is to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1461444818759271">satisfy their curiosity</a> about sex. And much of mainstream pornography models misogynist attitudes and problematic sexual behaviour. </p>
<p>Feminist author <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/apr/16/why-andrea-dworkin-is-the-radical-visionary-feminist-we-need-in-our-terrible-times">Andrea Dworkin</a> made the link between pornography and misogyny in the 1970s. Feminist research continues to demonstrate a connection. </p>
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<p>Most recently, sexuality educator <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/maree-crabbe/we-need-to-talk-to-our-kids-about-porn_a_21444679/">Maree Crabbe</a> wrote that porn</p>
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<p>communicates a whole range of deeply problematic messages – about sex … gender, power, aggression, bodies, pleasure, sexuality, consent and race.</p>
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<p>She wrote:</p>
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<p>Porn is an incredibly powerful communicator. It can influence what we like and want without us even realising. </p>
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<h2>School sexuality programs</h2>
<p>Between 2016 and 2017, one of the authors conducted in-depth interviews with nine teachers across nine Victorian government schools to find out how students are taught the skills to develop positive, healthy relationships. She observed the delivery of sexuality education and spoke with five principals about it. </p>
<p>Teachers said sex isn’t being discussed at home with parents. Instead, students are deliberately seeking out information about sex from pornography.
This <a href="https://media-cdn.ourwatch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/20022415/Pornography-young-people-preventing-violence.pdf">corresponds with the findings </a>of Our Watch that by the age of 13, nearly 50% of boys have viewed pornography.</p>
<p>Teachers expressed concern about students’ reliance on pornography. They talked about students believing what they see to be “the way you should act” or “how you do sex”. This includes questionable negotiations over consent. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/not-as-simple-as-no-means-no-what-young-people-need-to-know-about-consent-155736">Not as simple as 'no means no': what young people need to know about consent</a>
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<p>One teacher said: “In pornography you’re seeing something that young people think is consensual.”</p>
<p>Respectful Relationships is a program that constitutes one component of sexuality education in some schools. It has the potential to combat the misogyny of mainstream pornography. </p>
<p>Respectful Relationships is a set of <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/respectfulrelationships.aspx">evidence-based resources</a> promoting the development and maintenance of healthy relationships of all kinds. The resources are for use in and beyond sexuality education classes.</p>
<p>All Victorian government schools are mandated to deliver the Respectful Relationships curriculum as <a href="http://www.rcfv.com.au/Report-Recommendations">recommended by the royal commission</a> into family violence. Although other schools in Australia may use this curriculum resource.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lets-make-it-mandatory-to-teach-respectful-relationships-in-every-australian-school-117659">Let's make it mandatory to teach respectful relationships in every Australian school</a>
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<p>Specifically, there is a <a href="https://fusecontent.education.vic.gov.au/03bdca34-62ec-4f30-aca0-8262db67c2db/DETBuildingRespectfulRelationshipsUpdated2501v4.3.pdf">unit designed to</a> “address the link between sexualisation, pornography, gender and respectful relationships”. </p>
<p>One teacher said about the program:</p>
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<p>Girls can feel empowered by the program […] They may examine their relationship and see if it’s a respectful relationship. </p>
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<p>The teachers we spoke with wanted to deliver this curriculum. They were well trained to do so. They knew their students and that the curriculum has the potential to counter what students learn outside the classroom. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393015/original/file-20210401-13-74sou0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Group of young friends laughing about something." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393015/original/file-20210401-13-74sou0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393015/original/file-20210401-13-74sou0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=396&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393015/original/file-20210401-13-74sou0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=396&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393015/original/file-20210401-13-74sou0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=396&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393015/original/file-20210401-13-74sou0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393015/original/file-20210401-13-74sou0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393015/original/file-20210401-13-74sou0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">The respectful relationships curriculum can empower girls.</span>
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<p>While one teacher talked explicitly about the way the curriculum empowered girls, another described it as filling a gap in knowledge that prevented students from seeking bad information via alternative resources. </p>
<p>For this teacher, Respectful Relationships supported students to talk to her when they were considering having sex for the first time or when they experienced harmful sexual behaviour. </p>
<h2>So, what’s the problem?</h2>
<p>This curriculum provides tools for students navigating sex and sexuality, and for teachers to counter, even preemptively challenge, problematic ideas.</p>
<p>But with the public controversy over <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/safeschools.aspx?Redirect=2">Safe Schools</a> — a program that aims to help schools foster a safe environment supportive and inclusive of LGBTI students — at the forefront of their minds, teachers and principals detailed the many ways they sought to minimise parental fear and negative media associated with sexuality education. </p>
<p>One teacher said:</p>
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<p>This is a really loaded subject […] it can really frighten people and they can think, ‘Christ, I have a little year 7 or a year 12 girl at that school’. </p>
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<p>Teachers described censoring curriculum to avoid “riskier” content such as non-heterosexual sex and female pleasure. They also removed the words “sex” and “sexuality” from the title of programs, and limited parental knowledge about the programs they deliver. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/young-people-are-hungry-for-good-sex-education-i-found-a-program-in-mexico-that-gets-it-right-156742">Young people are hungry for good sex education. I found a program in Mexico that gets it right</a>
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<p>During class observations the author witnessed teachers hesitant to engage with important but complex topics such as consent and same-sex intimacy.</p>
<p>The Respectful Relationships curriculum has the potential to combat the misogyny of porn. By giving teachers the confidence, support and opportunity to do the job they are employed to do, we are likely to see meaningful change.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/158209/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sharon O'Mara has received funding from a Graduate Women Victoria bursary, Transforming Human Societies scholarship and a postgraduate research scholarship.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kirsty Duncanson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A study on the delivery of sexuality education found some teachers were anxious about parental fear, negative media and political hysteria. Sometimes they watered down ‘risky’ content.Sharon O'Mara, PhD Candidate in Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, La Trobe UniversityKirsty Duncanson, Senior Lecturer in Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, La Trobe UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1569612021-03-15T18:56:10Z2021-03-15T18:56:10Z‘I couldn’t escape. I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to’: confusing messages about consent in young adult fantasy fiction<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389213/original/file-20210312-17-l34wh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=15%2C31%2C5152%2C3414&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1511405889574-b01de1da5441?ixid=MXwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHw%3D&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=2850&q=80">Unsplash/Travis Grossen</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Sexual consent and young people have been in the news lately, from <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/i-think-i-have-been-raped-several-times-victorian-schools-mentioned-on-online-sexual-consent-petition-balloon-20210310-p579m9.html">an online petition</a> detailing thousands of high schoolers’ recollections of sexual assault and rape to <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/schools-in-australia-will-soon-be-provided-with-sexual-consent-education-materials">calls for better school-based education</a>. </p>
<p>What young people read is another <a href="https://www.hypable.com/sex-in-ya-novels-is-important/">important form of sexual education</a>. Young adult (YA) fiction has a unique role to play in representing sexual relationships, but a number of popular YA fantasy novels send confusing and potentially harmful messages about sex and consent. Often, these are not addressed, such as when Shalia in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/25566671-reign-the-earth">Reign the Earth</a> series (2018-2020) is forced to consummate her marriage.</p>
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<p>‘I didn’t feel love, or lust, or heat. I felt frightened … panicked beneath him.’</p>
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<p>Rather than echo the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/bodice-rippers-and-bad-education-do-romance-novels-lead-to-sexual-mistakes-2283">bodice ripper</a>” content of some adult fantasy novels (where sex <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/03/beyond-bodice-rippers-how-romance-novels-came-to-embrace-feminism/274094/">usually begins with domination</a>), books for young readers can be an opportunity to unpack what consent is and isn’t.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389226/original/file-20210312-13-16qun2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389226/original/file-20210312-13-16qun2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389226/original/file-20210312-13-16qun2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389226/original/file-20210312-13-16qun2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389226/original/file-20210312-13-16qun2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389226/original/file-20210312-13-16qun2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389226/original/file-20210312-13-16qun2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389226/original/file-20210312-13-16qun2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Some books in the young adult fantasy genre echo the ‘bodice rippers’ of yesteryear.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/xU34s6wuxyU">Unsplash/Hanna Postova</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/teen-summer-reads-how-to-escape-to-another-world-after-a-year-stuck-in-this-one-150646">Teen summer reads: how to escape to another world after a year stuck in this one</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Characters young people relate to</h2>
<p>Research shows young people <a href="https://theconversation.com/honest-and-subtle-writing-about-sex-in-young-adult-literature-48002">use YA fiction as a source of sex education</a>. Teens turn to novels to learn through the actions of characters they relate to. They identify with what is happening on the page and learn without having to seek advice or information from adults or peers. </p>
<p><a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2005-07532-002">Studies</a> have also shown representations of sexual intimacy provide a behavioural script for young readers. These scripts are then put to use during their own sexual encounters. In one study, researchers heard from girls who used episodes of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118276/">Buffy the Vampire Slayer</a> to learn new “date moves”.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389217/original/file-20210312-21-1pt13tk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Book cover: Twilight" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389217/original/file-20210312-21-1pt13tk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389217/original/file-20210312-21-1pt13tk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=902&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389217/original/file-20210312-21-1pt13tk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=902&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389217/original/file-20210312-21-1pt13tk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=902&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389217/original/file-20210312-21-1pt13tk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1134&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389217/original/file-20210312-21-1pt13tk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1134&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389217/original/file-20210312-21-1pt13tk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1134&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1361039443l/41865.jpg">Goodreads</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Because sex is a natural area of interest for readers, realist YA fiction engages with questions of sexual consent in clear ways. YA fantasy — the genre that includes the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41865.Twilight?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=lj3dqXfG4q&rank=1">Twilight</a> series and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2767052-the-hunger-games?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=YFY9IDgzyJ&rank=1">The Hunger Games</a> — can omit some important aspects of this. </p>
<p>Psychologists have <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/psychologist-the-movies/201111/relationship-violence-in-twilight">characterised</a> schoolgirl Bella’s relationship with vampire Edward in Twilight as a template for violence and abuse, concerned fans may model real-life relationships on the narrative. Jealous Edward isolates Bella from her friends, family and potential love rivals, even sabotaging her car to prevent her escape from him. </p>
<p>Fantasy fiction is often set in a different time or place, but it still reflects contemporary concerns. </p>
<p>In many of these novels, the female character’s ability to say “yes” is denied to her. In Shelby Mahurin’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40024139-serpent-dove?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=MPUAkzNnl8&rank=1">Serpent and Dove</a> (2019), the female protagonist is forced into marriage. Brigid Kemmerer’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43204703-a-curse-so-dark-and-lonely?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=YyxsAWWU8s&rank=1">A Curse So Dark and Lonely</a> (2019) gains inspiration from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5784403-beauty-and-the-beast?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=4LJMsboGig&rank=4">Beauty and the Beast</a>, with the female protagonist captured and unable to consent to her relationship. Neither novel discusses how consent is compromised.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-why-ya-gothic-fiction-is-booming-and-girl-monsters-are-on-the-rise-95921">Friday essay: why YA gothic fiction is booming - and girl monsters are on the rise</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>‘Too shy to say the words’</h2>
<p>In Holly Black’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26032825-the-cruel-prince?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Q1woSqhdSW&rank=1">The Cruel Prince</a> series (2018-2019), Prince Cardan physically and emotionally abuses orphan girl Jude during their relationship. Her consent to intimacy is mired in domestic violence. </p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389216/original/file-20210312-19-mb0arz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="book cover: The Cruel Prince" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389216/original/file-20210312-19-mb0arz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389216/original/file-20210312-19-mb0arz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389216/original/file-20210312-19-mb0arz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389216/original/file-20210312-19-mb0arz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389216/original/file-20210312-19-mb0arz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389216/original/file-20210312-19-mb0arz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389216/original/file-20210312-19-mb0arz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574535986l/26032825._SY475_.jpg">Goodreads</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When they do have sex, she does not verbally consent. Jude is “too shy to say the words” and just “kisses him instead”. This example of sexual consent contradicts models of positive consent as an “enthusiastic yes” or the viral video many young people are shown depicting consent as similar to offering someone a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQbei5JGiT8">cup of tea</a>.</p>
<p>Sarah J. Maas’ popular series, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16096824-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=q0sFbownpo&rank=1">A Court Of Thorns and Roses</a> (2015-2021) begins with a romantic relationship between Feyre and Tamlin in a magical kingdom. The series has sold over <a href="https://www.thebookseller.com/news/maas-turns-ya-author-bloomsbury-787586#:%7E:text=Maas'%20epic%20fantasy%20series%20Throne,36%20languages%2C%20said%20the%20publisher.">six million copies</a>. </p>
<p>Yet, in the first book, a serious violation of consent occurs. When Tamlin attempts to kiss Feyre, she tells him to “let go”, but instead he embeds his claws in a wall behind her head. When she pushes him away, he “grabs [her] hands and bites [her] neck”. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389211/original/file-20210312-19-k0wasb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389211/original/file-20210312-19-k0wasb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389211/original/file-20210312-19-k0wasb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=911&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389211/original/file-20210312-19-k0wasb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=911&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389211/original/file-20210312-19-k0wasb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=911&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389211/original/file-20210312-19-k0wasb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1144&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389211/original/file-20210312-19-k0wasb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1144&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389211/original/file-20210312-19-k0wasb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1144&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16096824-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=q0sFbownpo&rank=1">Goodreads</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Feyre’s reaction to Tamlin is confusing as well. While she tells him to stop, she also describes her feelings of sexual arousal. She “couldn’t escape” from Tamlin but “wasn’t entirely sure [she] wanted to”. To Feyre’s fury, the next morning Tamlin says he “can’t be held accountable” for her bruises. But by the next paragraph all is forgiven. </p>
<p>The descriptions of physical pleasure also suggest verbal consent in not the only thing in play. Is she saying no, when she really means yes? </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/relationships-and-sex-education-is-now-mandatory-in-english-schools-australia-should-do-the-same-144348">Relationships and sex education is now mandatory in English schools – Australia should do the same</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Explicit consent</h2>
<p>Of course, some YA fantasy texts address consent explicitly. Tracy Deonn’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892338-legendborn?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=LAqavceQfB&rank=1">Legendborn</a> (2020) features clear conversations of consent. When Nick asks if he can kiss Bree, she responds “Oh”. He then clarifies “Oh, ‘no’, or oh, ‘yes’?”.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389209/original/file-20210312-16-zsyahq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389209/original/file-20210312-16-zsyahq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389209/original/file-20210312-16-zsyahq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=916&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389209/original/file-20210312-16-zsyahq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=916&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389209/original/file-20210312-16-zsyahq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=916&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389209/original/file-20210312-16-zsyahq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1152&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389209/original/file-20210312-16-zsyahq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1152&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389209/original/file-20210312-16-zsyahq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1152&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32334268-valentine?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=6LB0cbLQU8&rank=1">Goodreads</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some books have questionable consent but call it out on the page. In Jodi McAlister’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32334268-valentine?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=6LB0cbLQU8&rank=1">Valentine</a> series, male faerie Finn uses his powers to enter Pearl’s dreams and lead her into sexual fantasies. When she realises what he’s done, she orders him “out of [her] head”, and they discuss his inappropriate behaviour.</p>
<p>Ambiguous scenes in YA fantasy can provide an opportunity for parents, teachers and young people to discuss consent and sexual intimacy. How are the characters consenting to intimacy? Is there an aspect of consent missing? What would be a better way for these characters to gain consent from each other? Care should be taken not to glorify taking advantage of these ambiguities in an intimate setting.</p>
<p>Classrooms can also be a place to confront the taboos of sexuality by analysing sexual interactions and unpacking how consent is given. <a href="https://theconversation.com/young-people-are-hungry-for-good-sex-education-i-found-a-program-in-mexico-that-gets-it-right-156742">Equipping teachers to facilitate conversations around trust, sex and consent</a> could further the conversation. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lets-make-it-mandatory-to-teach-respectful-relationships-in-every-australian-school-117659">Let's make it mandatory to teach respectful relationships in every Australian school</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156961/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elizabeth Little receives funding from Deakin University.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kristine Moruzi has received funding from the Australia Research Council. </span></em></p>Millions of people are reading young adult fantasy novels like Twilight or A Court of Thorns and Roses. But the way sexual consent is depicted in these can be confusing or even harmful.Elizabeth Little, PhD Candidate, Deakin UniversityKristine Moruzi, Senior Lecturer in the School of Communication & Creative Arts, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1567422021-03-09T19:09:09Z2021-03-09T19:09:09ZYoung people are hungry for good sex education. I found a program in Mexico that gets it right<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/388434/original/file-20210309-13-2p5jdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/diversity-students-friends-happiness-concept-535611271">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>More than 30,000 people have <a href="https://www.teachusconsent.com/">signed a petition</a>, launched by ex-Sydney school girl Chanel Contos, demanding for consent to be at the forefront of sexual education in schools. The text in the petition states:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Those who have signed this petition have done so because they are sad and angry that they did not receive an adequate education regarding what amounts to sexual assault and what to do when it happens.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The petition encouraged a growing number of harrowing <a href="https://www.teachusconsent.com/testimonies">testimonies</a> from young women throughout Australia about their experiences of sexual assault at parties.</p>
<p>School principals, particularly in all-boys schools, have responded by <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/2495592029/fulltext/A8C63A0A5F3E430EPQ/7?accountid=12528">acknowledging the need for a cultural shift</a>. Some schools have gathered students for <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/rape-culture-reckoning-as-wave-of-sexual-assault-claims-unleashed-20210225-p575r2.html">sessions about consent</a>, others addressed the topic in the classroom, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/talk-to-your-child-about-sexual-consent-because-schools-can-t-manage-this-alone-20210228-p576g6.html">some have asked parents</a> to engage their children in discussions about sexual consent and social norms. </p>
<p>But <a href="https://www.alignplatform.org/resources/preventing-violence-against-women-and-girls-community-activism-approaches-shift-harmful">studies show</a> one-off conversations or education sessions about consent and rape are unlikely to influence long-term change. Interventions need to systematically and gradually address the harmful social norms that underpin a host of interrelated issues including rape culture, intimate partner violence and homophobic bullying.</p>
<p>I <a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/centres-projects-groups/ipv-prevention-mexico">evaluated a sexuality education program</a> in Mexico City. My evaluation highlighted a number of factors that can help shift harmful beliefs and behaviours related to gender, sexuality and relationships.</p>
<h2>Engaging students in discussions</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.whatworks.co.za/resources/evidence-reviews/item/664-community-activism-approaches-to-shift-harmful-gender-attitudes-roles-and-social-norms">Evidence from around the globe</a> suggests that to transform the harmful gender norms that contribute to violence and sexual assault, programs should promote critical reflections about gender, relationships and sexuality. Evidence also shows such reflection takes time. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lets-make-it-mandatory-to-teach-respectful-relationships-in-every-australian-school-117659">Let's make it mandatory to teach respectful relationships in every Australian school</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A community-based organisation providing sexual and reproductive health services throughout Mexico adapted their sexuality course in 2016. It was a 20 hour course, delivered weekly over one semester to 185 students in one school. Each group of 20 participants aged 14 to 17 had one facilitator.</p>
<p>The facilitators in the course were young people (under 30 years of age). They were trained as professional health educators, and to <a href="https://www.alignplatform.org/sites/default/files/2019-03/preventing_intimate_partner_violence.pdf">facilitate activities that promote critical reflection</a> among students about entrenched beliefs and social norms. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/388416/original/file-20210309-22-90vc3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Students in classroom talking." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/388416/original/file-20210309-22-90vc3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/388416/original/file-20210309-22-90vc3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388416/original/file-20210309-22-90vc3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388416/original/file-20210309-22-90vc3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388416/original/file-20210309-22-90vc3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388416/original/file-20210309-22-90vc3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388416/original/file-20210309-22-90vc3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Students can be encouraged to discuss lived experiences, and debate them in class.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-young-people-sitting-classroom-talking-1144633550">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Such conversations can be about things like the nature of love and behaviours that are good and bad in a relationship.</p>
<p>In the program, students engaged in debates about romantic jealousy, and whether it was a sign of love. One student told me:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>they told us […] about what is love and what is not love. I told my boyfriend, “they told us that jealousy is bad”, and he replied, “that’s right, because it means a lack of trust”, and in this way, we sometimes talked about the course. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Vignettes that were relevant to the students’ lived experiences stimulated debates about gender roles and social norms. For example, student said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>One of the things my classmate said stayed with me. He said that the man has to work and the woman should stay in the house. It made me, like, think. I think that a woman doesn’t need to always be at home […] as if it were a prison. I think you need to give freedom to both people in a relationship.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>These group conversations can be challenging. They may also be upsetting to participants, and could even provoke verbal harassment or violence. </p>
<p>One facilitator described bullying and violence during some sessions of the course. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>The group started to verbally attack each other, and it was one corner of the room against the other.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This means facilitators need training not only on the concepts of gender, sexuality and relationships, but also on how best to directly address <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapol/article/35/8/993/5881794">comments that may reinforce harmful gender norms</a> or other types of violence in the classroom and use those as teaching moments to highlight the consequences of harmful social norms.</p>
<h2>Was the program successful?</h2>
<p>I saw the students become more comfortable talking about relationships and sexuality as the course progressed. One young man said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>before the course, it made us a bit embarrassed to talk about sexual and reproductive health. But afterwards we understood, with the course, that it was, like, very natural to talk about it. It’s like any other thing, and so I now feel fine talking about it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As a result of the program, some students said they directly addressed negative behaviours in their own relationships. And some even left controlling relationships. </p>
<p>One student said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>You know the information they told us about relationships? I was thinking about that, and then I decided to talk to my girlfriend about her controlling behaviour.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The students also developed trust in the course facilitators over time. One young man said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>As time passed, they gave me confidence that if at any moment I need something I can ask them for help, it won’t be a problem.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The facilitators made referrals to health care, provided advice and support, and in one case accompanied a participant to obtain care. </p>
<h2>What needs to happen in Australia</h2>
<p>In Australia, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/relationships-and-sex-education-is-now-mandatory-in-english-schools-australia-should-do-the-same-144348">quality and extent of implementation</a> of sexual education is often left up to individual teachers or schools. But many teachers called on to deliver sexuality education <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/53187">feel unprepared to go beyond factual biological instruction</a>. </p>
<p>A government mandate — as seen in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/relationships-and-sex-education-is-now-mandatory-in-english-schools-australia-should-do-the-same-144348">handful of countries</a> such as the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands — is needed to ensure high quality sexuality education is delivered to all young people in Australia. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/relationships-and-sex-education-is-now-mandatory-in-english-schools-australia-should-do-the-same-144348">Relationships and sex education is now mandatory in English schools – Australia should do the same</a>
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<p>But even when mandated, implementation at a national scale is challenging. To effectively deliver such programs, resources should be put towards developing a large cohort of health educators who are trained and supported to deliver quality sexual education. </p>
<p>A nation-wide program could be implemented through a partnership between national and state governments and community-based organisations already experienced with sexuality education.</p>
<h2>Parents can get involved too</h2>
<p>As shown in the quotes above, the young people in the Mexico City course <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13178-019-00389-x">discussed topics from their sexuality course</a> with peers, partners and parents. </p>
<p>This suggests that, even if parents feel unprepared to educate their children about sexual health, sexuality education can provide a bridge to open and reflective conversations. These can be a two-way exchange so parents need not serve as the educator, and can themselves benefit along with their children. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/not-as-simple-as-no-means-no-what-young-people-need-to-know-about-consent-155736">Not as simple as 'no means no': what young people need to know about consent</a>
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<p>My research on prevention programming, as well as <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/0034654316632061">reviews of school-based interventions</a> more broadly, reinforces the centrality of schools, both as settings in which violence is perpetrated, and as a site for its prevention.</p>
<p>Schools are often <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140197111000248?via%3Dihub">heteronormative institutions</a> and can perpetuate toxic masculinity and rape culture. Investing in good quality sexual education can prevent the “downstream” effects we are seeing now in the testimonials about sexual assault in schools and in the national parliament.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156742/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shelly Makleff does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A sexual education program in Mexico City provides a blueprint for Australia. It shows how to engage students in conversations about lived experiences, among other effective methods.Shelly Makleff, Research Fellow, Global and Women's Health, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1176592019-05-27T19:45:21Z2019-05-27T19:45:21ZLet’s make it mandatory to teach respectful relationships in every Australian school<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276531/original/file-20190527-40038-154xzy1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Victorian government is rolling out respectful relationships education in primary and secondary schools across the state.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Media <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-22/young-people-do-not-understand-texting-can-be-abuse-report-finds/11133602">reports of findings</a> from the latest <a href="https://www.anrows.org.au/research-program/ncas/">National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey</a> caused a stir in recent days, with some highlighting the importance of education programs to teach young people about gender-based violence.</p>
<p>The survey of young people, aged 16-24, revealed some <a href="https://ncas.anrows.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/300419_NCAS_Summary_Report.pdf">concerning findings</a>. Nearly one-quarter of respondents agreed that women tend to exaggerate the problem of male violence. One in seven said women often make false allegations of sexual assault. One in eight weren’t aware non-consensual sex in marriage is a criminal offence.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1131815433793810432"}"></div></p>
<p>But the 2017 survey also showed positive shifts in young people’s understanding of family violence compared to the survey in 2013. Young people showed an increase in their understanding of the different forms of violence against women and more respondents endorsed gender equality.</p>
<p>Schools play a significant role in educating young people about gender-based violence and helping change the underlying attitudes that lead to it.</p>
<p>The Victorian government <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/victoria-leading-the-way-on-respectful-relationships/">began a rollout</a> of respectful relationships education in primary and secondary schools in 2016. This is a whole-of-school program that aims not only to develop students’ gender awareness and respect but also to transform school cultures to be more gender-inclusive.</p>
<p>An evaluation of the program in secondary schools <a href="https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/634efd9c-dd7d-4e66-ba2c-5dc4780cff2f/RREiS_R3_Final_AA.pdf.aspx">found positive results</a>. One principal told researchers:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>There were male teachers in positions of authority [who] used aggression as their method to get what they wanted. That just became unacceptable.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>History of gender-based violence education</h2>
<p>Schools have long played a significant role in teaching students respect and equity. Social and moral learning is embedded in the <a href="http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf">Melbourne Declaration</a>, a 2008 document that sets out the agreed national goals of schooling. These values are <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au">also embedded</a> in national and state curricula.</p>
<p>More than 25 years ago, the federal education department was <a href="http://www.awe.asn.au/drupal/sites/default/files/Ollis%20Gender%20Based%20Violence%20Programs.pdf">commissioned to develop</a> a position on gender-based violence education. This led to the development of “No Fear” – a teaching resource and whole-of-school approach to addressing the attitudes and behaviours that underpin gender-based violence.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-education-about-gender-and-sexuality-does-belong-in-the-classroom-102902">Why education about gender and sexuality does belong in the classroom</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<p>Researchers in the mid-1990s <a href="http://library2.deakin.edu.au/search%7ES1?/aClark%2C+Louis+H/aclark+louis+h/-3%2C-1%2C0%2CB/frameset&FF=aclark+m&1%2C1%2C">highlighted the high levels</a> of <a href="https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/3061402">sexual harassment in schools</a>, including early childhood settings. Others pointed to the <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.460.4402&rep=rep1&type=pdf">broader gender equity</a> and <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8207490?q&versionId=46664076">structural inequalities</a> that impact girls’ options after leaving school. </p>
<p>All of this led to a high visibility and resourcing of gender (and other) equity reforms across Australian schools. By the late 1990s, however, anti-feminist backlash and government funding cuts led to a <a href="https://www.palgrave.com/la/book/9780230517011">policy vacuum</a> in this space.</p>
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<h2>Respectful relationships education</h2>
<p>Governments have recently renewed efforts to address gender-based violence in schools through what is now referred to as <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/capabilities/personal/Pages/respectfulrel.aspx">respectful relationships education</a>.</p>
<p>This kind of education is included in the Australian Curriculum but not all state and territory governments have been proactive in making it mandatory. Victoria’s 2016 Royal Commission into Family Violence recommended <a href="http://www.rcfv.com.au/Report-Recommendations">respectful relationships education</a> be mandatory in every school from prep to Year 12. </p>
<p>The program is now being <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/capabilities/personal/Pages/respectfulrelschools.aspx">rolled out in more</a> than 1,000 government, Catholic and independent schools in Victoria.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/respectful-relationships-education-isnt-about-activating-a-gender-war-67296">Respectful relationships education isn't about activating a gender war</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Respectful relationships education seeks to prevent violence before it occurs. This is fostered through supporting schools to challenge and find alternatives to the rigid gender roles that support gender inequality and lead to violence against women. It encourages schools to examine gender in terms of:</p>
<ul>
<li>staffing (is there gender disparity in leadership positions, teaching responsibilities and extracurricular activities?)</li>
<li>school culture (does the school have an inclusive and welcoming climate?)</li>
<li>professional learning (are teachers provided with adequate and ongoing support to teach about gender, identity, power and violence?)</li>
<li>support (are schools well-equipped to deal with disclosures of violence?)</li>
<li>teaching and learning (how do curriculum and pedagogy foster students’ critical awareness of gender, power, identity and violence?)</li>
<li>community connections (how are schools working with their broader community, including families, local services and sporting clubs, to challenge rigid gender norms?).</li>
</ul>
<p>Research conducted by the not-for-profit foundation working to prevent violence against women and children <a href="https://www.ourwatch.org.au/Who-We-Are">OurWatch</a>, and Deakin and Swinburne universities, has <a href="https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/634efd9c-dd7d-4e66-ba2c-5dc4780cff2f/RREiS_R3_Final_AA.pdf.aspx">highlighted the potential</a> of this model to change attitudes and school structures. Students expressed thoughtful and informed views about gendered violence following their participation in the program. </p>
<p>One student said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>People think sexual assault is about sex, but it’s about power […] It’s about a sense of entitlement.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Another noted:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I think it’s a good idea to have this sort of program in more schools. It’ll stop the system; boys growing up thinking that they should be the more dominant person in the relationship and learning this now might stop that and make it less of a problem.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Teachers and school leaders also relayed positive accounts of the program’s impact. One teacher observed students were now more respectful of each other. </p>
<p>Another said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Respectful relationships education develops an understanding of the links between the language the students use with each other and how that leads to situations where women are not treated equally, undervalued or misrepresented.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>There are still hurdles</h2>
<p>Teachers, leaders and students have generally welcomed respectful relationships education. But there are still many challenges to ensuring the program is embedded in primary and secondary schools. These <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29850904">include</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>addressing misinformation, resistance and backlash – for example that respectful relationships education is about “gender engineering” or that it alienates and shames boys and men</li>
<li>acknowledging the complexities of violence against women as intersecting with poverty, Indigeneity, ethnicity, culture, and disability, among other factors</li>
<li>adequate funding to support ongoing professional learning for school leaders and teachers in relation to implementing a whole-school approach</li>
<li>supporting schools to work with and educate families</li>
<li>supporting schools to better respond to disclosures and violence-related trauma.</li>
</ul>
<p>Schools are not a panacea for transforming the ills of society. Ending violence against women will require major and far-reaching social change. The history of respectful relationships or gender-based violence education indicates schools can play a significant role in this process.</p>
<p>But it is clear short-term, inadequately funded approaches do little to recognise the complexity of change and the time it takes to bring an education community to a common understanding, awareness and commitment to change.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Editor’s note: this article previously referred to the not-for-profit foundation working to prevent violence against women and children, OurWatch, as a charity. This has now been corrected.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/117659/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amanda Keddie is currently conducting research in affiliation with the national organisation OurWatch. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Debbie Ollis is currently conducting research in affiliation with the national organisation OurWatch. She has been involved in the Victorian government's rollout of the respective relationships program in a consultant and research capacity. She has also been involved in the design, teaching and implementation of respectful relationships education in Victoria across the education sector for over 25 years. </span></em></p>Nearly one-quarter of young people surveyed said women exaggerated claims of sexual assault. This is only one reason why education on underlying values that lead to violence against women matters.Amanda Keddie, Professor, Education, Deakin UniversityDebbie Ollis, Associate Professor, Education, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1113432019-02-10T19:13:18Z2019-02-10T19:13:18ZUniversities have made progress on responding to sexual assault, but there’s more to be done<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258042/original/file-20190209-174864-3f5e8w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The majority of Australian universities have implemented or beefed up existing policies to respond to sexual assault and harassment since 2017.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Four years ago, <a href="http://thehuntinggroundfilm.com/">the Hunting Ground documentary</a> explored the failure of university administrations to adequately respond to sexual assault on college campuses in the United States. Universities in Australia and elsewhere also came under the spotlight. Reports from <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/the-shocking-way-sexual-violence-is-handled-at-australian-universities/news-story/fdb2f5d827ee8f6f4c124af11847aa25">advocacy groups and journalists</a> detailed the shocking rates of sexual violence in Australian university settings and poor university responses to them. </p>
<p>With funding from the <a href="https://www.thehuntinggroundaustralia.com.au/">Hunting Ground Australia project</a>, the <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/">Australian Human Rights Commission</a> (AHRC) conducted a national survey on the prevalence and nature of sexual assault and sexual harassment at Australian universities. Almost 31,000 students participated. The landmark AHRC report, <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/change-course-national-report-sexual-assault-and-sexual">Change the Course</a>, was released in August 2017. </p>
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<p>The report highlighted high rates of sexual violence against university students in Australia, massive under-reporting, and a lack of adequate university policies and practices to address the problem. The message was clear: universities need to do more. </p>
<p>Australian universities have a unique opportunity to show leadership to the rest of the community on sexual assault and sexual harassment. But how much progress have Australian universities made since the release of the AHRC’s report in August 2017? </p>
<h2>A widespread problem</h2>
<p>Sexual violence and sexual harassment are not unique to university settings. These behaviours are also widely reported in other institutions such as the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-08/hundreds-of-adf-personnel-named-in-sexual-abuse-offences/5727788">military</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-20/boy-raped-on-nauru-asylum-seeker-lawyers-claim/10632882">detention centres</a>, <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/spike-in-january-sexual-harassment-claims-exposes-sleazy-workplace-habits/news-story/8adadcb93c57e324422a56066b1bb5dc">workplaces</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-sexual-harassment-in-schools-is-a-hateful-part-of-everyday-life-65452">schools</a>, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/groped-propositioned-ogled-life-as-a-female-barrister-in-victoria-20190205-p50vv1.html">the legal profession</a>, <a href="https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2016/10/15/sexual-harassment-politics/14764500003857">politics</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-09/one-fifth-of-surgeons-yet-to-complete-online-harassment-training/9314650">the medical profession</a>, <a href="https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/media/2016/12/10/sexual-harassment-the-media/14812884004070">the media</a>, <a href="https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/">religious institutions</a> and the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-22/australian-theatre-responds-to-metoo-sexual-harassment-bullying/10619362">entertainment industry</a>. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/hazing-and-sexual-violence-in-australian-universities-we-need-to-address-mens-cultures-92685">Hazing and sexual violence in Australian universities: we need to address men's cultures</a>
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<p>The AHRC <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/change-course-national-report-sexual-assault-and-sexual">survey</a> found one in 15 university students (6.9%) reported having been sexually assaulted on at least one occasion in 2015 and 2016 (1.6% in a university setting). One in two students (51%) reported having been sexually harassed on at least one occasion in 2016 (26% in a university setting). </p>
<p>As described in the <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5762fc04f5e231826f09afae/t/5a95cf99e4966ba2c2a64ca5/1519767581881/The+Red+Zone+Report+2018">Red Zone report</a>, approximately 21,000 students have been sexually assaulted in a university setting in 2015 and 2016. Approximately 200 sexual assaults occur in a university setting each week, or around 30 sexual assaults per day.</p>
<p>We don’t yet know whether the efforts and actions to improve university responses have helped to reduce rates of sexual assault and sexual harassment. </p>
<p>There have been a number of investigations and reports following the release of the AHRC findings. These reports <a href="https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2018/02/apo-nid134766-1236446.pdf">suggest</a> sexual violence continues to be rife in Australian universities. The AHRC survey will be repeated every three years and the next survey will provide insight into how things have changed.</p>
<p>But survey results must be interpreted cautiously. Some participants may not label their experiences as “sexual assault” or “sexual harassment”. Also, surveys conducted in English might not adequately capture the <a href="https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/education/2019/02/02/risks-foreign-students-campus/15490260007384">experiences of international students</a> because of cultural and language barriers.</p>
<h2>Under-reporting</h2>
<p>The AHRC <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/change-course-national-report-sexual-assault-and-sexual">survey</a> found sexual assault and sexual harassment were rarely reported to universities. The survey found 87% of students who were sexually assaulted, and 94% of those who were sexually harassed, didn’t make a formal report or complaint to their university. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/rape-sexual-assault-and-sexual-harassment-whats-the-difference-93411">Rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment: what’s the difference?</a>
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<p>The study found domestic students were more likely than international students to report experiencing sexual assault and sexual harassment. But international students were almost two times less likely to seek support from someone in their faculty or school. </p>
<p>Overall, only 4% of students thought their university was doing enough to provide clear and accessible information on sexual assault procedures, policies and support services. </p>
<h2>How far have universities come?</h2>
<p>In February 2016, the <a href="https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/uni-participation-quality/students/Student-safety/Respect--Now--Always-#.XFz1t88zbxQ">Respect. Now. Always.</a> campaign was introduced by Australia’s 39 universities. The campaign sought to raise awareness of sexual assault and sexual harassment, make support services for students more visible and accessible, obtain data to guide further improvement in university policy and practice, and help universities share best practice resources.</p>
<p>As part of the campaign, Universities Australia also developed <a href="https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/ArticleDocuments/797/Companion%20Report%20Web%20version%203.pdf.aspx">a ten-point action plan</a>. This includes initiatives such as respectful relationships education and specialist training for university staff and counsellors.</p>
<p>In July 2018, Universities Australia introduced <a href="https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/uni-participation-quality/students/Student-safety/Guidelines-for-university-responses-to-sexual-assault-and-sexual-harassment#.XF0Bgc8zbxQ">a set of non-binding guidelines</a> for universities. These guidelines refer to recording data, timeframes for reporting, resolutions and criminal investigations – among other things. </p>
<p>The AHRC has conducted two audits of the actions taken by Australian universities in response to the <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/change-course-national-report-sexual-assault-and-sexual">Change the Course</a> report. One in <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/audit-2017">December 2017</a>, and the other in <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/AHRC_Aug2018_Uni_Audit_snapshot.pdf">August 2018</a>. The audits are based on information submitted to the federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins, by 39 vice chancellors about how their universities have responded to the nine recommendations of the AHRC report. </p>
<p>As of July 2018, the majority of universities have implemented the following measures, or are committed to doing so in the future:</p>
<ul>
<li>establish an advisory body or working group to develop an action plan</li>
<li>implement training and education for students in relation to sexual assault, sexual harassment and respectful relationships </li>
<li>take steps to increase the availability and visibility of support services</li>
<li>implement a review of existing university policies and response pathways</li>
<li>identify and train staff members and student representatives who are most likely to receive disclosures</li>
<li>implement practices to ensure information about disclosures and reports is collected and stored confidentially</li>
<li>express commitment to conduct the national survey on sexual assault and sexual harassment every three years.</li>
</ul>
<p>The 2017 and 2018 audits also provide examples of the practical measures put in place by some universities. They include providing students with access to specialist sexual assault and trauma counsellors on campus, independent evaluations or audits, anonymous reporting tools and education and awareness campaigns.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/university-sexual-assault-policies-are-often-inconsistent-and-confusing-73758">University sexual assault policies are often 'inconsistent' and 'confusing'</a>
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<p>Responses showcasing how individual universities <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/audit-2018">have responded</a> to each of the AHRC’s nine recommendations can be found on the AHRC website. </p>
<p>In January this year, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) <a href="https://www.teqsa.gov.au/latest-news/publications/report-minister-education-higher-education-sector-response-issue-sexual">released their report</a> to the federal minister of education on higher education provider responses to sexual assault and harassment. Overall, TEQSA found the majority of universities have done the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>accepted the <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/change-course-national-report-sexual-assault-and-sexual">Change the Course</a> recommendations and are responding to the issue of sexual assault and sexual harassment</li>
<li>established a sexual assault/sexual harassment taskforce</li>
<li>implemented or strengthened a policy on sexual assault and sexual harassment</li>
<li>conducted external or internal reviews of existing policies and response pathways</li>
<li>offered online and face-to-face training for university staff and support services</li>
<li>offered counselling services (some of whom collaborate with external rape/sexual assault support services)</li>
<li>reported incident data internally.</li>
</ul>
<p>Only some universities report their incident data publicly and/or have conducted reviews of their counselling services and student accommodation.</p>
<p>TEQSA also reported on the responses and actions of 126 independent and TAFE higher education providers. TESQA found independent and TAFE higher education providers have taken far less action. For instance, only 58% reported having a policy in relation to this issue. Only 13% had completed a review of sexual assault and harassment policy and practice.</p>
<h2>Preventing sexual assault and harassment</h2>
<p>This month, it was <a href="https://www.ourwatch.org.au/News-media/Latest-news/Our-Watch-partner-with-Universities-Australia-and">announced</a> that Our Watch has partnered with universities and the Victorian government to develop a new evidence-informed respectful relationships education course. The online module will be trialled with students over the next 18 months.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/everyday-rape-lets-turn-the-spotlight-on-known-perpetrators-39437">Everyday rape: let's turn the spotlight on known perpetrators</a>
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<p>The initiatives and actions taken to date by the majority of Australian universities are commendable. But so much more needs to be done within and beyond universities. </p>
<p>The biggest challenge we face in addressing sexual assault and harassment is much bigger than the university sector. It involves massive cultural change across our entire society. But Australian universities have the opportunity to show leadership on this issue. Let’s not waste that opportunity.</p>
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<p><em>The National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.</em></p>
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<p><em>This article has been updated since publication to avoid conflating gotafe with the TAFEs registered by TEQSA.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/111343/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicola Henry receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Institute of Criminology, and the Office of the eSafety Commissioner. </span></em></p>Universities have done a lot over the last two years to respond to the high rate of sexual assault and harassment on campus, but we still don’t know whether rates of incidents have dropped.Nicola Henry, Associate Professor & Vice-Chancellor's Principal Research Fellow, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1029022018-09-12T05:16:32Z2018-09-12T05:16:32ZWhy education about gender and sexuality does belong in the classroom<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235714/original/file-20180911-123104-df4r1s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Countries such as England and Canada have adopted more progressive approaches to inclusive sex education than Australia has.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is currently no consistent standard of sex, sexuality, gender and respectful relationships education across Australian schools. Each state and territory makes decisions about what they teach in schools. Additionally, religious schools have <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/AHRC_2017_Religious_Exemptions_SDA_Info.pdf">exemptions</a> under anti-discrimination laws to decide how they approach these issues, and whether they include them at all. </p>
<p>Despite the gains made in the marriage equality debate, Australia has been unable to translate this into inclusive sex and sexuality education for young people. While countries such as England and Canada are adopting progressive, consistent sex education programs at a national level, Australia has not.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-sex-education-isnt-diverse-enough-heres-why-we-should-follow-englands-lead-100596">Australian sex education isn't diverse enough. Here's why we should follow England's lead</a>
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<p>The federal Department of Education is spending A$5 million to <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/08_2014/national_plan1.pdf">develop resources</a> to teach respectful relationships in Australian schools. <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/education/no-gender-theory-in-federal-respect-project/news-story/1daccfc56f5be8f72703b109fb84f23e">According to one news report</a>, these resources will not include topics on toxic masculinity, gender theory or case studies about young people’s sexual activity. This project is a part of the <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/women/programs-services">women’s safety package</a> announced in 2015 by the Turnbull government, which seeks to educate young people about violence against women. </p>
<p>The federal government is quietly trying to distance these resources from Victoria’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/respectful-relationships-education-isnt-about-activating-a-gender-war-67296">Respectful Relationships</a> program, which has been <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/2017/04/26/10/36/feminist-ideologies-taught-in-schools-victoria">criticised</a> by some conservative commentators. Politics aside, there is an urgent need for these resources. Gendered violence against women and LGBTIQ people is <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/domestic-violence/family-domestic-sexual-violence-in-australia-2018/contents/summary">too common</a> in Australia.</p>
<h2>No more federal funding for Safe Schools</h2>
<p>Only a few years ago, Australia was very close to having a standard national <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/national-safe-schools-framework-0">resource</a> for sex, sexuality and relationships education – the Safe Schools program. Its creators aspired to consistency across all state and territory educational jurisdictions in Australia, in line with the nationally consistent <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/">Australian Curriculum</a>. </p>
<p>Safe Schools was designed as an <a href="https://www.glhv.org.au/sites/default/files/wti3_web_sml.pdf">evidence-based</a>, educational anti-bullying program. The program had LGBTIQ inclusion at its core, and sought to create safe and inclusive environments for LGBTIQ students. Resources used to help deliver the program were developed by experts and carefully selected to ensure they were age-appropriate for the students using them. </p>
<p>The federal government <a href="http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org.au/from-a-safe-schools-coalition-australia-ssca-spokesperson-4">stopped funding</a> the program in mid-2017, following an extended public pillorying by <a href="https://www.conservatives.org.au/stop_the_safe_schools_agenda">conservative politicians</a> and <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendezview/an-epidemic-of-transgender-children-is-safe-schools-legacy/news-story/085d5681f6bc3dae2357302ab2bee227">media commentators</a>. This ranged from <a href="http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org.au/from-a-safe-schools-coalition-australia-ssca-spokesperson-7">concern</a> students were encouraged to cross-dress and role-play as gay teenages to <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-11/annastacia-palaszczuk-rubbishes-one-nations-safe-schools-claim/9141520">false claims</a> the program showed children how to masturbate and strap on dildos.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/factcheck-does-the-safe-schools-program-contain-highly-explicit-material-87437">FactCheck: does the Safe Schools program contain 'highly explicit material'?</a>
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<h2>An inconsistent approach</h2>
<p>Safe Schools has been replaced by an eclectic mix of programs, which vary from state to state. As a result, Australia has an inconsistent approach across state education systems. </p>
<p>In Victoria, the <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/01_2016/3-1-respectful-relationships-evaluation-summary-of-findings.pdf">Building Respectful Relationships</a> program was trialled in 2015 in response to recommendations Royal Commission into Family Violence and rolled out more broadly since 2016. </p>
<p>The program contains strong messages of healthy relationships, violence prevention and control, which young people can relate to, regardless of their situation. The program has <a href="https://au.educationhq.com/news/38824/victorias-respectful-relationships-rollout-academics-go-head-to-head/#">received criticism</a> claiming it’s simply a repackaged version of the Safe Schools program. It runs concurrently with Safe Schools, which is now implemented in nearly all government secondary schools in Victoria. </p>
<p>Safe Schools programs are also run in one government school in the NT, 21 government schools in Tasmania and 24 government schools, 3 independent schools and 3 other educational settings in WA.</p>
<p>At the federal level, <a href="https://schoolchaplaincy.org.au/news/">funding has been confirmed</a> to make the John Howard-inspired school chaplain program permanent. The School Chaplaincy program is intended to support the social, emotional and spiritual well-being of school communities across Australia. This may include support and guidance about ethics, values, relationships and spiritual issues. </p>
<h2>Federal discomfort with sex, sexuality and gender discussions</h2>
<p>Scott Morrison has made a number of comments about LGBTIQ issues in his short time as Prime Minister. Morrison said schools don’t need “gender whisperers”, referring to an <a href="https://www.conservatives.org.au/teachers_target_potential_transgender_kids">article</a> which stated teachers were being taught how to spot potentially transgender students. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1037100764294836224"}"></div></p>
<p>It has <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/gender-whisperers-scott-morrison-criticised-for-hateful-tweet-about-trans-students">since been clarified</a> teachers were being trained on how to support students <em>if</em> they identify as transgender, not to identify potentially transgender students.</p>
<p>Morrison has also <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/scott-morrison-says-gay-conversion-therapy-not-an-issue-for-me">brushed aside</a> concerns about <a href="https://theconversation.com/treatments-as-torture-gay-conversion-therapys-deep-roots-in-australia-95588">gay conversion therapy</a>, and publicly stated he sends his children to a religious schools to avoid “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/03/scott-morrison-sends-his-children-to-private-school-to-avoid-skin-curling-sexuality-discussions">skin curling</a>” discussions about gender diversity and sexuality. </p>
<p>Other members of the Coalition have publicly echoed similar beliefs, including Tony Abbott and Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz who actively spoke out against voting “yes” in the same-sex marriage plebiscite for fear it would lead to a “<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-15/eric-abetz-warns-gay-sex-role-play-in-schools-under-ssm/8950952">radical sex education program for schools</a>”.</p>
<h2>A strong case for sexuality, gender and sex education</h2>
<p>Gender and sexual diversity are part of the rich multicultural landscape of contemporary Australian society. But <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/women-programs-services-reducing-violence/womens-safety-package">research</a> indicates there’s significant cause for concern about gender-based violence and family violence. Education about respectful relationships was identified as a key way to combat this in the <a href="http://www.rcfv.com.au/Media/Royal-Commission-report-delivered-to-Government-Ho">Royal Commission into Family Violence</a>.</p>
<p>Likewise, current <a href="https://www.afao.org.au/article/sexually-transmissible-infections-among-young-people-australia-overview/">research</a> about young people and sex, sexuality and gender diversity is alarming. There are still high levels of mental health issues (such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide) among LGBTIQ young people as a result of bullying, discrimination, and harassment at school and in the wider community. </p>
<p>The data indicate increasingly high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among young people are also a significant concern. Rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea diagnoses in Australia are highest amongst people <a href="https://kirby.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/kirby/report/SERP_Annual-Surveillance-Report-2017_compressed.pdf">aged 15-24 years</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235924/original/file-20180912-144479-x8zfsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235924/original/file-20180912-144479-x8zfsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235924/original/file-20180912-144479-x8zfsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235924/original/file-20180912-144479-x8zfsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235924/original/file-20180912-144479-x8zfsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235924/original/file-20180912-144479-x8zfsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235924/original/file-20180912-144479-x8zfsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Research shows young people, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, need reliable information about safe sex and respectful relationships.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, <a href="https://www.afao.org.au/article/sexuality-education-australian-secondary-schools-averting-sexual-health-crisis-among-young-people/">research indicates</a> young people need to be reliably informed about safe sex. The ramifications of not doing so are far too significant. <a href="http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002357/235707e.pdf">Research</a> shows school-based sexuality education improves sexual health outcomes for young people.</p>
<p>Likewise, Australia has <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/education/face-facts/face-facts-gender-equality-2018">unacceptably high</a> rates of family, domestic and sexual violence, while gender inequality permeates most aspects of society. This can be mitigated through reliable education about healthy relationships. Family, domestic and sexual violence is <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/domestic-violence/family-domestic-sexual-violence-in-australia-2018/data">not a sign of a healthy society</a>. </p>
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<p>
<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/young-people-want-sex-education-and-religion-shouldnt-get-in-the-way-96719">Young people want sex education and religion shouldn't get in the way</a>
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<p>Sex, sexuality, respectful relationships, and gender all need to be discussed in schools as a component of a whole-school approach. This should not only include in-class education, but it should also be addressed in school cultures, policies and procedures, and in gender equity among the staff. </p>
<p>This is important because we need safe, inclusive schools that celebrate diversity. It’s also important to raise awareness among young people to mitigate family, domestic and sexual violence.</p>
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<p><em>This article has been updated since publication to clarify that there are government schools in Victoria which run Safe Schools programs, and that the Building Respectful Relationships program is run concurrently, not as a replacement.</em></p>
<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/102902/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nothing to disclose.</span></em></p>Sex, sexuality, respectful relationships, and gender all need to be discussed in schools as a measure to combat discrimination against LGBTQ people, rising rates of STIs and violence against women.David Rhodes, Senior Lecturer, School of Education, Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/755472017-04-05T19:28:31Z2017-04-05T19:28:31ZCan a four-year-old be sexist?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/163776/original/image-20170404-21950-mhrx96.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Children are exposed to gender differences and expectations from the moment they are born.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Victorian government <a href="http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/Pages/respectfulrelationships.aspx">has announced</a> it plans to teach its <a href="https://theconversation.com/respectful-relationships-education-isnt-about-activating-a-gender-war-67296">Respectful Relationship program</a> to preschoolers as a way to target and prevent sexist behaviour among children aged three and four years old.</p>
<p>The program – which is taught to teenagers in schools – more broadly aims to tackle issues around family violence, and also to develop young people’s social skills and promote respectful relationships.</p>
<p>The justification for extending this program into preschool settings, according to the <a href="https://www.tenders.vic.gov.au/tenders/tender/display/tender-details.do?id=8677&action=display-tender-details">document</a> released by the state government, is that </p>
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<p>as young children learn about gender, they may also begin to enact sexist values, beliefs and attitudes that may contribute to disrespect and gender inequality.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But can children at that age be sexist? When is it that children are aware of gender differences – and what makes them act on it?</p>
<h2>When do children become aware of their gender?</h2>
<p>Researchers have shown that <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230810604_Early_androgens_activity_levels_and_toy_choices_of_children_in_the_second_year_of_life">by age one</a> (and in some studies, <a href="http://infantcognition.tamu.edu/files/2013/10/Alexander-G.M.-Wilcox-T.-Woods-R.-2009.pdf">as early as three months old</a>), children show clear preferences for gender-consistent toys (eg trucks for boys, dolls for girls). This occurs even if they have only been exposed to gender-neutral toys, or had equal access to both “boys” and “girls” toys. </p>
<p>So, does this mean that kids as young as three months are aware of their gender? </p>
<p>No. It’s not until about age three that children have a basic understanding of gender identity – but even then, it’s pretty tenuous. </p>
<p>At this age, it’s not uncommon for kids to still be confused regarding gender – for example, a girl thinking she will grow up to be a man, or a boy referring to his mum as “him”. </p>
<p>However, the emergence of basic gender identity helps us to explain why by age three children prefer to play with same-sex peers and engage in gender-stereotyped play. </p>
<p>Researchers have suggested that <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247638676_The_Emergence_of_Same-Sex_Affiliative_Preferences_among_Preschool_Peers_A_DevelopmentalEthological_Perspective">this shows children understand the differences between genders</a> and are aware that they “fit” better with one gender than the other. </p>
<p>Gender constancy – that is understanding that being male or female is a fixed personal attribute – does not develop completely until around age six to seven. </p>
<p>Gender constancy develops as a result of cognitive development (so children are able to understand more abstract concepts like gender), as well as learning about social expectations for their behaviour. Psychologists refer to this as <a href="http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.121208.131650?journalCode=psych">“socialisation</a>”. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/163774/original/image-20170404-21933-kryys7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/163774/original/image-20170404-21933-kryys7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163774/original/image-20170404-21933-kryys7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163774/original/image-20170404-21933-kryys7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163774/original/image-20170404-21933-kryys7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163774/original/image-20170404-21933-kryys7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163774/original/image-20170404-21933-kryys7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">By age three, children prefer to play with same-sex peers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<h2>…and of gender differences and expectations?</h2>
<p>Few people would think they encouraged gender-stereotyped play and behaviours in children. But remember the old saying “do as I say, not as I do”? It’s pretty apt here. </p>
<p>Kids imitate the behaviours of important role models in their lives: parents, caregivers and teachers alike. </p>
<p>This is particularly strong when the role model is of the same sex – girls are more likely to model the behaviours of adult females and boys of adult males. </p>
<p>So, even if we tell them that “girls can do anything boys can do”, if they only ever see dad but never mum doing vehicle maintenance, the words may not have much impact.</p>
<p>It’s not like parents wake up one day and decide “today is the day I make my gender expectations clear to my child”. It’s much less dramatic than that. </p>
<p>The reality is that we reinforce gender differences and expectations every day without even meaning to, through observational learning processes. </p>
<p>Think about your own life. Are there chores and activities that seem to fall along gender lines? Taking the bins out, doing the ironing and cooking, for example.</p>
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<p>I doubt there was a discussion in which you divided up the chores based on gender. It probably just “became habit”. As such you never really questioned it – much like gender expectations in children. </p>
<p>Children are exposed to gender differences and expectations from the moment they are born. Over time this information is internalised to inform their understanding of how the world works – with early understandings about gender differences and expectations emerging by age three. </p>
<p>Helping this process along is the way we (often indadvertently) reinforce gendered behaviours, by providing approval for those behaviours that are gender-consistent (eg, praising a boy for not crying when he is hurt), and disapproval for those that are not (eg, discouraging rough-and-tumble play for a girl). </p>
<p>This means that by the time they achieve the concept of gender constancy by around age six to seven, their understanding of gender differences and expectations are also well established. </p>
<p>Kids are incredibly fast learners – even when we don’t realise that teaching has taken place. </p>
<p>Complicating this is that children filter information according to what their brain can make sense of. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/163972/original/image-20170404-14594-15k2xql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/163972/original/image-20170404-14594-15k2xql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163972/original/image-20170404-14594-15k2xql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163972/original/image-20170404-14594-15k2xql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163972/original/image-20170404-14594-15k2xql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163972/original/image-20170404-14594-15k2xql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/163972/original/image-20170404-14594-15k2xql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Pink bike = girl’s toy?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>At age three to four, children demonstrate very “black-and-white” thinking – things are good or bad, right or wrong. What this means about gender is that they think in terms of “girl or boy”, and categorise their world (eg toys, clothes, activities) accordingly. </p>
<p>If this type of thinking was shown in an adult, who has more flexible thinking patterns – they can see shades of grey – it would be considered sexist. In kids of this age, it’s normal.</p>
<p>In and of itself, this is not a problem. It’s a normal developmental process. The problem arises when expectations about gender and gender differences lead to <a href="http://genderequality.ie/en/GE/Pages/WhatisGE">gender inequality</a>.</p>
<p>Gender inequality has been <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/publications/gender-equality-and-violence-against-women/introduction">shown</a> to increase the risk of gender-based violence.</p>
<p>Proponents argue that this is where the Respectful Relationship program comes into play. </p>
<p>By providing an environment in which gender equality is both taught and modelled, it is argued that beliefs about gender and gender differences can be changed to support more respectful relationships with others from a young age, and decrease the risk of sexist and violent behaviour in the future. </p>
<p>If we’re talking about educating four-year-olds about this issue, it’s really more about what they see than what we say. </p>
<p>They don’t need to know what sexism is – the fact is, they won’t understand it if you try. </p>
<p>What is important is that we promote respect for all, without pathologising normal developmental processes. It’s okay that young boys like to play with boys, and girls like to play with girls; that boys like to play with trucks, and girls like to play with dolls. It’s not sexist, it’s a normal part of growing up.</p>
<h2>So, can young children knowingly be sexist?</h2>
<p>The fact that a four-year-old has a basic understanding of gender differences and expectations, and behaves according to this knowledge, is not the same as deliberately engaging in sexist behaviour. It simply reflects what they have seen, and what they are able to understand.</p>
<p>Their intention is to make sense of their world and how they fit in it – not to hurt or disempower others.</p>
<p>In a world where actions speak louder than words, it is not what you say but what you do that will shape your child’s gender expectations. Model and promote gender equality. </p>
<p>They may not know what sexist behaviour is at four, but this way they’ll be less likely to demonstrate it at 14.</p>
<p><em>Have a question about this piece? The author will be available for a Q&A today from 1pm to 2pm. Post your questions in the comments below.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/75547/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kimberley Norris does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>At the age of four, children have a basic understanding of gender differences and expectations. But it is unlikely they would knowingly be sexist.Kimberley Norris, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of TasmaniaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/672962016-10-19T19:14:41Z2016-10-19T19:14:41ZRespectful relationships education isn’t about activating a gender war<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/142270/original/image-20161019-15096-yirvtg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">One in four young people are prepared to excuse physical abuse by their partner.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com </span></span></figcaption></figure><p>It is possible to talk with children and young people about gender without activating a gender war. </p>
<p>There have been <a href="http://readnow.isentia.com/ReadNow.aspx?28wFO0y1IZID">claims in the press</a> that programs addressing gender-based violence present all men as “bad” and all women as “victims”. </p>
<p>These claims misrepresent the evidence-based prevention education program to which they refer.</p>
<p>Last week the Victorian Department of Education and Training <a href="http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-curriculum-supports-students-to-build-healthy-relationships-and-understanding">launched the new Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) education program</a> designed to support teachers to develop children and young people’s social and emotional skills and promote respectful relationships. </p>
<p>It was developed by a team of nationally and internationally recognised experts in education gender and social emotional learning.</p>
<p>For each age level across primary and secondary, the program provides six units of work developing social and emotional skills that are the foundation of positive relationships. This is followed by a unit on understanding gender norms, and a final unit addressing the skills needed for respectful relationships.</p>
<p>None of the activities invite students to work within the rhetoric of blame. </p>
<h2>How the program is taught</h2>
<p>The first three quarters of the program has students working on the social and communicative skills needed to understand and manage their emotions, problem solve, manage stress and anger, and engage in peer support and help-seeking. </p>
<p>These are the skills that underpin respectful, positive and caring relationships, regardless of gender. </p>
<p>In the sections on gender and respectful relationships, they are challenged to identify the gender norms that influence attitudes and behaviour, and to question when and where various expectations can be harmful or limiting for both boys and girls. </p>
<p>They think through the skills and strengths they would need to act with respect in a challenging situation. </p>
<p>This program is designed to help teachers provide learning that supports development of the personal and social capabilities that are part of the Victorian Curriculum. </p>
<p>It includes a focus on <a href="http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Interpersonal-Development/Curriculum">social and emotional learning</a> and respectful relationships. </p>
<p>The need for such programs is evident. <a href="http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/2011-2012/DVAustralia">Data shows</a> that in Australia many young people are not aware of appropriate boundaries in relationships.</p>
<h2>Young women more likely to be victims of violence</h2>
<p>Compared to other age groups, younger women are <a href="http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/56/rpp056.pdf">more likely to experience both victimisation and partner violence</a>. </p>
<p>A large proportion of men who have perpetrated sexual violence against women did so for the first time when they were young, indicating that such practices commence early in adulthood. </p>
<p>Other research suggests that many young people are not aware of appropriate boundaries in relationships. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/media-and-resources/publications/2013-national-community-attitudes-towards-violence-against-women-survey">One in four</a> are prepared to excuse partner violence. 26% agree that it can be excused if the perpetrator regrets it afterwards, and 24% agree that violence can be excused if the perpetrator was so angry they “lost control”. </p>
<p>One in five young people believe that women often say no to sex when they mean yes. This demonstrates a poor understanding of the importance of consent in sexual relationships.</p>
<h2>So are GLBTIQ students</h2>
<p>It is not only girls who are disproportionately subjected to school-related gender-based violence. </p>
<p>Students who are (or who identify as or are perceived to be) gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer (GLBTIQ) are <a href="http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/ASHA_Article.pdf">disproportionately affected by bullying and violence</a> in school settings. This can lead to higher rates of depression, suicidal behaviours, drug use, and also difficulties in school.</p>
<p>There may also be an <a href="http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rip/1-10/07.html">under-representation of male victims of domestic violence in the data</a> due to the stigma associated with reporting.</p>
<p>Given these concerning data, and the changing nature of the influences that young people are exposed to - including more <a href="http://vaw.sagepub.com/content/16/10/1065.abstract">accessible and often violent pornography</a> – it is imperative that young people are taught how to negotiate their relationships with respect and recognise the rights of others.</p>
<h2>Impact of such programs</h2>
<p>Evidence-informed programs that incorporate a <a href="http://www.jcsh-cces.ca/upload/WHO%20Technical%20Meeting%20Report.pdf">whole-of-school-approach</a> and include partnerships with parents and community organisations as well as <a href="https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-286719752/a-meta-analysis-of-school-based-bullying-prevention">strong teacher training strategies</a>, have been shown to have positive results. </p>
<p>When provided with such programs, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21291449">students show:</a> </p>
<ul>
<li>improved academic outcomes (by 11 percentage points)</li>
<li>demonstrate more positive social behaviour</li>
<li>have lower rates of mental health problems</li>
<li>are less likely to engage in violent, risky and disruptive behaviour</li>
<li>and are less likely to risk-take with alcohol. </li>
</ul>
<p>Improved academic performance is attributed to improved school environment. It also builds students’ self-awareness and confidence in learning, and develops skills in self discipline, persistence, stress management and organisation. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.oecd.org/edu/ceri/skills-for-social-progress-executive-summary.pdf">The 2014 OECD study</a> argues that education systems around the world should provide social and emotional learning programs, defining social and relational skill as the 21st century skills needed for success in both relationships and employment.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/4326.0Main%20Features32007">quarter of Australian young people</a> experience mental health problems within a given year, and a <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/media-and-resources/publications/2013-national-community-attitudes-towards-violence-against-women-survey">quarter believe</a> that violence is permissible when people are in a state of anger. Given this, there is a great need for both social and emotional learning and respectful relationships education.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/67296/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Helen Cahill was the lead author of the program. She receives funding from Australian Research Council, Victorian Department of Education and VicHealth.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jessica Crofts received funding from the Victorian Department of Education for the development of this curriculum. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Catherine Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Research shows that many young Australians are not aware of appropriate boundaries in relationships. It’s important that children are informed by research rather than rhetoric.Helen Cahill, Associate Professor in Student Wellbeing, The University of MelbourneCatherine Smith, Research fellow, The University of MelbourneJessica Crofts, Research Fellow at the Youth Research Centre, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.