New Federal Campaign Launched to Improve Understanding of ‘Consent’

Protesters attend a rally against sexual violence and gender inequality in Sydney on March 15, 2021. Steven Saphore/AFP via Getty Images

The Albanese government is launching a new campaign to improve Australian understanding and attitudes on consent and respectful relationships.

The campaign is intended to reduce sexual violence in Australia by helping adults be informed about consent so that they can feel comfortable and confident in discussing consent with young people. There can be high levels of confusion around the definition of consent and who is accountable in non-consensual situations.

In a media release, Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth highlighted that this campaign is a central component of the government’s ongoing commitment to minimise gender-based violence.

“Learning about consent isn’t just about reducing harm, it is about providing the next generation with skills to have safe, healthy relationships for life,” Ms. Rishworth said.

She said that although research shows that 86 percent of Australians agree that adults need to talk to youth about consent, many aren’t talking about it at all because it can feel uncomfortable and awkward.

“This national campaign encourages people to learn more about consent, talk about it with other adults, and ultimately build a shared community understanding of the topic for the benefit of the next generation.”

What will the Campaign Look Like?

The government has committed $40 million (US$27 million) of funding to the campaign.

The 12-month-long campaign will be featured on television, online video, cinema, and social media until May 2025.

Its goal is to encourage adults to check their understanding of consent and discuss consent with each other so they can feel confident discussing consent with the younger generation.

The campaign aims to promote positive attitudes and behaviours on respectful relationships among youth by targeting key adult influencers.

A dedicated website, consent.gov.au, will also be established to debunk common myths about consent using a “Check Your Understanding” question generator and “Misconception Cards.” It will also provide conversation cards that include five key concepts of consent to guide adult conversations and discussions with young people.

“We have such an opportunity before us to help young people form healthy relationships and understand what true intimacy looks like,” campaign ambassador Daniel Principe said.

Eliminating Contradictions

A Department of Social Services report found that 77 percent of Australians believed consent was personally important to them. However, 48 percent of Australians were conflicted in their understanding of consent, experiencing low confidence in defining consent and perceiving high risks of getting involved.

Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Justine Elliot said in the release that getting clear messages across to young people is crucial to achieving a cultural shift.

“There’s a lot of contradictory messages and myths around consent, so it’s vital that we provide clarity and consistency on the messaging,” Ms. Elliot said.

“In fact, in Australia, one in five women and one in sixteen men has experienced sexual violence since the age of 15, with women most likely to experience this at the hands of an intimate partner.”

“This campaign will ensure everyone in the community has a better understanding around consent and help us to come together in preventing this violence.”

Research Behind Campaign

The campaign is the product of extensive developmental research with over 2,600 Australians and consultation with a panel of experts on consent and sexual violence.

Panel members include the founder of Teach Us Consent and campaign ambassador, Chanel Contos and the Head of Engagement at No To Violence, Lizette Twisleton.

“It’s really exciting this is going to be shown around Australia. I think the impact of normalising public conversations about consent will be a significant step,” Ms. Contos said.

“Compared to every other consent campaign in history, this really nails it. It is invitational and appealing in a really great way. Fantastic job,” Ms. Twisleton said.

Intimate Partner Violence in Australia

In Australia, on average one woman was killed every 11 days and one man every 91 days by an intimate partner in 2022-2023, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

A 2021-22 survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that one in six women and one in 18 men experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a current or previous cohabitating partner since the age of 15.

The national cabinet held an emergency meeting on domestic violence prevention in May 2024. The federal government also pledged $925 million (US$613 million) to provide a one-off payment of $5,000 to women fleeing violence.

The consent campaign also builds upon the Albanese government’s $3.4 billion investment in women’s safety.