Ad campaign launched ahead of major NSW consent law change
An advertising campaign on how to have consensual sex has been launched by the NSW government days before new consent laws kick in. Here’s what you’ll need to do next time you’re intimate.
NSW
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A new advertising campaign urging young people to “make no doubt” has been launched ahead of a major change to sexual consent laws set to come into force in NSW from next week.
From June 1, consent must be actively communicated by words or actions, not assumed.
In a bid to prevent sexual violence, the state government has rolled out new ads showing young people what “affirmative consent” looks like.
The campaign was designed in consultation with survivor advocate Saxon Mullins, who welcomed the focus on “real people” and “real scenarios”.
“I think these videos show that it’s not awkward or uncomfortable (to check for consent),” she said.
“It’s really important to show what those conversations look like when they work,” she said.
In contrast to the maligned “Milkshake” consent video launched by the federal government last year, the NSW ads use realistic situations to show affirmative consent.
“I think it’s really clear, it’s really effective and it shows real scenarios,” Ms Mullins said.
The ads will target 16-24 year olds on social media and dating app Tinder.
The affirmative consent laws which passed NSW Parliament last year mean that people cannot “assume” someone else is consenting to sex.
“If you want to engage in sexual activity, from next week, you have to do something or say something to find out that there is consent, or the other party has to do something or say something to show consent,” Attorney-General Mark Speakman said.
Consent must be “ongoing” and consent to one activity does not mean consent to other acts.
“These are common sense reforms, they’re not about some kind of woke lawyer view of the world, they are about fundamental decency,” he said.
Women’s Safety Minister Natalie Ward said the new ads “show that checking consent doesn’t need to be complicated”.
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Originally published as Ad campaign launched ahead of major NSW consent law change
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