Supporting Young People to Understand Affirmative Consent Program (2022 - 2025)
Informed and Empowered is one of the 13 projects created as part of the Supporting Young People to Understand Affirmative Consent (SYPTUAC) Program. The SYPTUAC program aims to empower and educate young people and their key influencers to strengthen their understanding of affirmative consent and healthy relationships.
Informed and Empowered
Developed by Youthlaw
Youthlaw (the Young People's Legal Rights Centre) is a free state-wide legal service for young people up to age 25. We offer legal advice and, in some cases, representation to Victorian young people, prioritising those experiencing homelessness, socio-economic disadvantage, family violence, mental ill health, drug and/or alcohol issues, young women, young people from newly arrived communities, and young people living with a disability. We also educate young people and workers about the law and advocate for fair laws for young people.
Informed & Empowered aims to inform and empower young people facing barriers to make informed decisions in personal and intimate relationships, with strong focus on new sexual consent laws and safety. Topics include sexual consent, age of consent, affirmative consent, sexual violence, and related issues of sexting and online interactions.
Youthlaw, in close consultation with young people with lived experience, has developed education content to engage directly with young people. It has also developed education for professionals working with those young people. This includes a combination of interactive online and in-person workshops, webinars and resources.
We are delivering education primarily to the youth cohorts Youthlaw already engages with, and to the workers in organisations we deliver services through.
Affirmative Consent resources
Posters about affirmative consent:
Image-based sexual abuse resources
Posters about the new image-based sexual abuse offences:
Where to get help and support
Recorded webinars
Australian Childhood Foundation
When Yes Means YES
A project that aims to capture young people’s experiences and perspectives around their use of digital technology, with a particular focus on image taking, sharing and editing. It will pilot effective approaches to meaningful online safety education.
Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights
Why Yes Matters
A project designed to raise awareness and understanding of affirmative consent and sexual violence prevention within newly arrived and migrant Muslim communities across Melbourne. It focuses on empowering young people and their families.
Banksia Gardens Community Services
Good People Act Now (GPAN)
A youth-led action group working to promote gender equality and prevent gender-based violence in Hume and surrounds. GPAN focuses on peer-to-peer bystander action, equipping young people with tools to safely challenge harmful beliefs and attitudes.
The Supporting Young People to Understand Affirmative Consent Program is supported by the Victorian Government.
Accessing sexual violence support
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, there are specialist sexual assault services across Victoria that provide free and confidential counselling and advocacy support for people of all ages.
You can find your local service by using the Specialist Sexual Assault Service Map.
If you have experienced a recent sexual assault, you can call the Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL) on 1800 806 292.
SACL operates between 5pm - 9am on weeknights and throughout weekends and public holidays. During office hours, the line will divert to your local specialist sexual assault service.
