Sexual Consent Toolkit
Content Warning
This toolkit covers a range of issues relating to sexual consent, including rape and sexual assault. It includes frank discussions of sexuality and sexual acts, as well as scenarios drawn from actual cases of rape or sexual assault. This material may be distressing or bring up painful memories for some people. If you need further support, please make use of the helplines and services listed here.
This toolkit provides information about sexual consent law, but it is not a source of legal advice. Legal information in the toolkit reflects the legal position in Queensland as of 31 January 2021. The law in other Australian states and territories is similar but not identical.
About this toolk
This toolkit is authored by Jessica Schaffer, Jonathan Crowe and Rachael Burgin on behalf of Rape and Sexual Assault Research and Advocacy (RASARA). It is funded by a Sexual Violence Prevention Grant from the Queensland Government Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women. You can read more about the authors here.
Web and graphic design for the toolkit is by James Anderson. Illustrations are by Lornia Shi.
Copyright © 2021. This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND license. You may download and share all or part of the toolkit for non-commercial purposes, provided you clearly credit the original source (rasara.org/consent-toolkit-home) and do not modify the content in any way.
How To Use This Toolkit
This toolkit contains three modules relating to sexual consent: consent, communication and confidence. It also includes a series of worksheets, as well as a resource list. The worksheets can be downloaded individually within each section, or a complete copy of the toolkit, worksheets, resources, and social media links is available below.
The toolkit is designed for young people, their parents and their educators, as well as anyone who wants to learn more about the law on sexual consent and communicating about sex with confidence.
The modules and worksheets can be used for self-guided learning, but they are also designed to form the basis for group discussions. Participants should work through each section, then complete the corresponding worksheet and discuss their responses with the group.
It is important that group discussion is voluntary, so nobody feels pressured to share personal information. Content warnings should be provided (like the one at the start of this toolkit) and participants should be encouraged to enter and leave the space as they choose. Any participants who experience distress may be referred to the support services in the additional resources below.
Consent
Consent covers different understandings of consent, including free and voluntary consent, affirmative consent and enthusiastic consent. It discusses the requirements of consent under Queensland law and explores common myths and misconceptions about consent. This module has three subsections: what is consent, consent in the law, and consent myths.
Communication
Communication explores how to communicate effectively and openly about sexual consent. It discusses some obstacles to communication, such as the ‘freeze’ and ‘tend/befriend’ responses, and explores ways of ensuring consent and identifying reluctance and discomfort.
Confidence
Confidence provides practical information on developing confidence with sexual communication. This includes how to negotiate gender roles and consent conversations, how to recognise sexual coercion, confidence-building exercises and communication techniques and strategies.