Talk to an Expert – Notes
14 Consent Education with West Coast LEAF
- Developed a workshop with a group of post-secondary students called “Only Yes Means Yes.”
- Originally provided free to schools across BC through pilot funding from The Law Foundation of BC, Health Sciences Association of BC, the Province of British Columbia, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council/Impacts:
- Pilot funding has ended but workshops are still offered at a $100 honorarium fee (sliding scale for grassroots groups) within Metro Vancouver.
- Can travel farther if institution can provide travel funding.
- Regularly requested by post-secondary institutions.
- Aimed at post-secondary students but have also provided an staff version upon request, and a separate workshop called “No Means No” exists for youth in grades 5 to 9, which can be adapted for older youth by request.
- Have done sessions at volunteer training, in classes, with open registration, etc.
- Workshop content,
- Analysis of media messages about consent and romance.
- Brainstorm about how power affects our relationships and connects with the law.
- Defining consent and sexual assault through legal and ethical standards:
- A key point is that we need to rise above the legal standard of consent in order to prevent harm and violence.
- Discussion about how to check for consent.
- Options after experiencing sexual assault – legal avenues, non-legal avenues, and support services.
- Analysis of sexual assault myths and realities in legal case studies.
- Format of workshop aims to create a safe space and integrate consent as part of participation
- Group guidelines that are clear and inclusive of all participants.
- List of local resources for follow-up support.
- Participation in activities is voluntary.
- Participants are free to step out or leave the workshop.
- Mutual learning and sharing of ideas and experiences.
- Student advisors came up with the language of “only yes means yes” rather than “only no means no” to emphasize that consent must be active.
- Animated video available on West Coast LEAF’s website on changes to the law of consent and sexual assault in Canada in the last few decades, the activism that led to those changes, and the deep problems that remain: “The Unfinished Story of Yes.”
