1. Using interactive and participatory activities, such as discussion and debate.
Pound, P., Denford, S., Shucksmith, J., Tanton, C., Johnson, A. M., Owen, J., Campbell, R. (2017). What is best practice in sex and relationship education? A synthesis of evidence, including stakeholders’ views. BMJ Open, 7(5), e014791. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014791.
2. Going beyond the legal definitions or ideal standards of consent, so that students can grapple with the complexities of meaningful choice and develop the skills and competencies required for navigating consent.
Setty, E. (2020): Sex and consent in contemporary youth sexual culture: The ‘ideals’ and the ‘realities’, Sex Education, DOI: 10.1080/14681811.2020.1802242.
3. Avoiding the notion of consent as a binary “yes” or “no,” using everyday experiences of consent and non-consent to illustrate consent’s complexity.
Fenner, L. (2017). Sexual consent as a scientific subject: A literature review, American Journal of Sexuality Education, DOI: 10.1080/15546128.2017.1393646.
4. Helping students bridge the gap between rote “consent” and awareness of a partner’s willingness and interest.
Beres, M. (2014). Rethinking the concept of consent for anti-sexual violence activism and education. Feminism & Psychology, 24(3), 373–389. doi:10.1177/0959353514539652.
5. Offering multiple sessions and/or programs for lasting impact.
Jozkowski, K., Henry, D., & Sturm, A. (2015). College student’s perceptions of the importance of sexual assault prevention education: Suggestions for targeting recruitment for peer-based education. Health Education Journal, 74(1), 46–59. doi:10.1177/0017896913516298.
6. Highlighting the role of metacommunication in ethical interaction. Because differences are important and valuable, and because differences cannot be eliminated, everyone needs skills to deal with ambiguity.
Lockwood Harris, K. (2018). Yes means yes and no means no, but both these mantras need to go: communication myths in consent education and anti-rape activism, Journal of Applied Communication Research. doi: 10.1080/00909882.2018.1435900.
7. Engaging students in critical reflection and providing them a safe environment for discussing their own practices, rather than teaching them the “right” answer.
Hirsch, J. S., Khan, S. R., Wamboldt, A., & Mellins, C. A. (2019). Social dimensions of sexual consent among cisgender heterosexual college students: Insights from ethnographic research. Journal of Adolescent Health, 64(1), 26–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.06.011.
8. Identifying how constrained choice operates across contexts and practicing the skills to create spaces of free choice.
Setty, E. (2022). Educating Teenage Boys About Consent: The Law and Affirmative Consent in Boys’ Socio-Sexual Cultures and Subjectivities. Sex Roles, 87, 515–535. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-022-01335-9.
