Content warning: this post discusses sexual violence and misogyny.
The rise of the #MeToo movement in 2017 highlighted to the media and some parts of society that sexual harassment and assault are far too common.
Eights years on and education professionals still consistently underestimate the prevalence of sexual harassment in schools and the young age at which it starts.
The 2021 Ofsted report found that the frequency of harmful sexual behaviours meant some children and young people consider them to be ‘normal’.
People globally are protesting and speaking up about harmful behaviours, but this isn’t enough if young people aren’t a part of the conversation. Here’s some examples of prominent movements in the last decade:
The 2016 Brock Turner Case: The Stanford University sexual assault case, where Brock Turner was given a light sentence for assaulting an unconscious woman. This sparked international outrage and widespread discussions about rape culture, privilege, and the criminal justice system's treatment of survivors.
The 2018 Women’s March: Following Donald Trump's election, millions of people, primarily women, participated in the Women's March to protest against sexual assault, gender inequality, and various policies impacting women, drawing attention to abuse and the need for systemic change.
The 2018 "Times Up" Movement: In the wake of the Weinstein scandal, the "Times Up" initiative was launched by women in the entertainment industry to combat systemic sexual harassment in the workplace, with a focus on providing legal support for women who experience abuse or harassment.
The 2021 Sarah Everard Case: The kidnapping and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Metropolitan Police officer sparked national outrage in the UK. The incident led to renewed scrutiny of police conduct and violence against women, prompting protests and calls for systemic reform in how authorities address women's safety.
The 2021 Sabina Nessa Case: The murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa in a London park received widespread attention for highlighting the racial disparities in media coverage of violence against women. Her death became part of a broader conversation about public safety, intersectionality, and the need for inclusive activism within the Me Too movement.
The 2024 Gisele Pelicot Case: Gisele Pelicot’s decision to speak publicly after discovering years of abuse at the hands of her husband and dozens of others became a turning point in France. Her bravery challenged ageist assumptions about sexual violence, ignited public protests and fuelled national calls to reform consent laws, to better protect victims.
Illustration by Evie
At the heart of this change is the need for open, honest conversations about consent—starting with young people.
By teaching young people what consent truly means, we can challenge harmful norms to prevent future harm.
Conversations about consent
Recent years have highlighted how deeply embedded issues of entitlement, coercion, and shame are in societal structures, underscoring the urgent need for prevention rather than just response. Despite the #MeToo movement further highlighting the need for real prevention, discussions around consent in schools are still often focused narrowly on legal definitions and reactive measures.
Our facilitators are in schools everyday, teaching about consent and talking to young people. Issy says, “most young people have now heard the word consent in school, they have probably seen the video comparing consenting to tea to consenting to sex and can recite 'unconscious people don't want tea'. But the reality is that consent is not as simple as tea. Peer pressure, objectification, a culture of slut-shaming all make it so much more complex! Young people need nuanced, ongoing conversations about consent and healthy relationships.”
Why is consent education essential?
Preventing harm
We have been proud partners in world-leading research to understand youth experiences of image-based sexual harassment and abuse, with recommendations put forward for education providers and government.
One research project, Understanding and Combatting Youth Experiences of Image-Based Sexual Harassment and Abuse (Ringrose, et al. 2021, found that image-based sexual harassment overwhelmingly impacts girls, is heavily influenced by gender norms, and an intersectional approach to contextualised harm is needed.
The research found that boys were rewarded for sharing girls’ images amongst their peers, as an indication of their masculinity status, however girls were shamed and victim-blamed for having their image shared without their consent.
Findings in this project support other research, confirming the extent, scale and impact of sexual harassment, for example, 59% of girls and young women aged 13-21 said they had faced some form of sexual harassment at school or college in the last year.
Research shows that schools delivering specialist relationship and sex education lessons can significantly reduce violence in partner relationships.
Challenging cultural norms
Many of the issues highlighted by #MeToo - such as victim-blaming, entitlement, microaggressions and shame - are reinforced by cultural attitudes that can make harmful behaviours seem acceptable. Consent education helps dismantle these norms by:
Teaching young people that it is everybody’s responsibility to create consent.
Addressing power dynamics, such as those between peers, gender, teachers and students, bosses and employees, or older and younger individuals.
Emphasising that mutual respect and pleasure, not persistence or pressure, is the foundation of consent.
Empowering young people to seek support
Many survivors of harassment or assault have shared that they didn’t know how to respond when their boundaries were not respected or felt pressured.
Consent education gives young people the tools to respect other people’s boundaries and seek support if they ever experience any harm.
Educators and caregivers have the ability to empower young people through being supportive, non-judgemental and believing (rather than blaming) them.
Redefining consent as a positive concept
Consent isn’t just about avoiding harm, it’s about pleasure, mutual respect and communication. Educators can frame consent as a way of building trust, encouraging openness, and deepening connections, whether in friendships, workplaces, family dynamics, or romantic / sexual relationships.
Normalising consent and communication is crucial. Often, portrayal of sexual encounters in movies rarely shows any communication at all. This can lead to young people genuinely thinking it is strange or awkward to talk about sex with a partner or to build any kind of consent.
Addressing “grey” areas and myths
Misunderstandings about consent contribute to harmful behaviours. Consent education should address common myths, such as:
“If they didn’t say no, it’s okay.” Consent must be explicit, enthusiastic, continual, and freely given.
“It’s blurred lines if someone changes their mind.” Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and respecting that is essential to create a space where someone feels able to change their mind.
“This only applies to certain situations.” Consent is crucial in all interactions (including online), from sharing personal space to intimacy.
“Did they say no?” many young people do not recognise that if someone doesn’t resist or fight back then it’s still sexual violence (EVAW 2024).
Centring inclusivity
Consent education must be inclusive of all identities and relationships. This means including scenarios that represent LGBTQIA+ experiences and disabled people. It also means recognising how intersectionality can shape people’s experiences of victim-blaming, belief, consent and coercion.
Addressing pushback
While many have welcomed the focus on consent and accountability sparked by #MeToo, we still see a lot of pushback in our work. Some people argue that focusing on consent risks overcomplicating sex and relationships, or fostering fear.
In response, it’s important to emphasise that consent education is not about creating barriers - it’s about better communication, safer and more mutually pleasurable experiences. By teaching young people to navigate sex with empathy and respect, we can empower them to create positive, meaningful interactions.
The long-term impact
By making consent education a priority, we’re not just addressing immediate safeguarding concerns—we’re laying the groundwork for long-term cultural change.
Safer Communities: When people understand and respect boundaries, rates of harassment and assault decrease.
Healthier Relationships: Clear communication and mutual respect lead to stronger, more fulfilling connections.
Empowered young people: when young people understand consent and their rights they are more likely to seek support when they need it.
Our role
School of Sexuality Education is dedicated to delivering inclusive relationships and sex education workshops. Our curriculum provides young people with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate relationships, advocate for themselves and each other, and challenge harmful norms.
If you’re an educator or caregiver, we’re here to support you in making consent education a priority in your community..