Consent Labs expands in Victoria amid growing demand for education

Consent Labs, a youth-led not-for-profit, has announced an expansion of its operations in Victoria to address the surging demand for consent education in the region.

This move follows the inclusion of consent education in the national school curriculum and is supported by the Federal Government's investment of AUD $77.6 million for schools to deliver consent education, coupled with a further AUD $40 million campaign titled 'Consent Can't Wait'.

Since beginning its program delivery in 2021, Consent Labs has engaged over 80,000 high school and tertiary students, as well as parents and educators across Australia. Angelique Wan, CEO and Co-Founder of Consent Labs, highlighted the increasing necessity for effective consent education in the face of rising sexual violence rates. "We can no longer ignore the vital role of teaching consent from an early age as a means of addressing the rising rates of sexual assault and violence in Australia," she stated.

Notably, Consent Labs plans to expand its Victorian team and has established a base in South Yarra, Melbourne. The organisation aims to reach more than 10,000 individuals in 2024, delivering seven times the number of programs compared to 2023. Wan emphasised the objective of providing free, evidence-based, and age-appropriate education on consent and healthy relationships to high school and university students, their educators, and parents.

"At Consent Labs, we want to ensure every high school and university student, as well as their educators, parents and caregivers, has access to free, evidence-based and age-appropriate education on consent and healthy relationships," Wan commented.

The importance of this initiative is underscored by statistics from the Crime Statistics Agency Victoria, which reported 9,537 sexual offences in the region in 2023, averaging 26 offences per day. Nationally, one in five women and one in sixteen men have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15.

The feedback from Consent Labs' workshops conducted between 2021 and 2024 indicates that such initiatives have a significant impact. Prior to these sessions, 66% of students rated their knowledge of consent topics as "good," which increased to 93% post-session. Additionally, 89% learned practical information they could apply in their daily lives, 91% found the sessions engaging or very engaging, and 84% requested more workshops in the future.

Victorian educators face numerous challenges in delivering effective consent education despite its mandatory inclusion in the curriculum. These challenges include inadequate funding, full workloads, and societal pressures. Consent Labs' expansion aims to alleviate some of these pressures by providing expert resources and support, particularly in regional areas where schools struggle to attract visiting educators.

One parent from Iona College in Geelong shared their positive experience with Consent Labs' workshops, stating, "The information was so valuable and really helped me to understand how I could start a conversation with my children in a safe, neutral and respectful space. I would change my 'awkward' response at the start to 'comfortable'. That's a big shift in two hours."

This expansion of Consent Labs in Victoria aligns with the broader Federal Government's initiative to enhance consent education across Australia. The 'Consent Can't Wait' campaign seeks to improve adults' understanding of consent, fostering more informed discussions among young people and their communities.

By establishing a more substantial presence in Victoria, Consent Labs aims to contribute significantly to the reduction of sexual violence and the promotion of respectful relationships through education and community engagement.