Consent talk plea Be direct, says assault service

PROGRAMS educating students on the topic of consent need to be direct in their content and lead to open conversations, the chief executive of a northern Tasmanian sexual assault support service says.

Laurel House chief executive Francis Pratt said it was disappointing metaphors were still considered necessary in two videos released by the federal government as part of a campaign aimed at teaching school students about consent.

The widely criticised videos, which used milkshakes to talk about consent, have since been removed from the internet.

“Humour can be helpful to get a message to land and be remembered, but I’m not sure how much thoughtful discussion can come from it,” Ms Pratt said.

“It can be difficult to talk about these topics. However, if we can’t find a way to communicate it’s not helpful for the victims who want to come forward.’'

Laurel House provides a six-week program called Consent, Sex and Respect for students in Years 8 and 9 across the state’s North and NorthWest.

“Normalising the conversation is what is right, the sharing of ideas in a group can be positive,” Ms Pratt said.

She said the programs helped raise awareness about the services offered by Laurel House and helped encourage victims of sexual abuse to come forward.

The program also provides information for teachers and parents, as well as for older students.

“If we want to see cultural change, it’s important that we see role models displaying the behaviours we want to see,” Ms Pratt said.