The definition of consent is that it is a voluntary agreement to do something. When it comes to sexual activities and any intimate contact, everyone involved needs to give/receive enthusiastic consent.
Enthusiastic consent means that the people are happy with what is happening and that shows through words/and or actions. It means you must have clear permission for the identified type of sexual activity. If any type of sexual activity occurs in the absence of consent, it becomes a form of sexual assault/violence and is considered a crime.
The Criminal Code of Canada protects all Canadians from sexual abuse and exploitation and provides information on the definition of consent to sexual activity and the age of consent to sexual activity. Having a clear understanding of the concept of consent also means an understanding of the laws that are in place to protect children and youth from sexual predators. Young people need to understand that the law does not affect their rights to access sexual health education or service and will help them be aware of the circumstances in which they may be the victims of exploitation, especially in incidences involving an older person or someone in a position of authority.
If you would like more information and details on the laws on sexual offenses, please visit: Justice Laws Website and see Part V, Sexual Offenses, Public Morals, and Disorderly Conduct.
It is important to provide students with the communication skills to give, refuse, or withdraw consent in their relationships. Effective communication is a key skill needed to support sexual health. Many young people may feel embarrassed or awkward talking openly about sexual issues with their partners or friends. Some may not have any experience in relationships, or it may conflict with their cultural and societal norms. Providing sexual health education about consent will help to develop the skills to ask for, negotiate, give, refuse, and withdraw consent. This can help to reduce the risk of sexual assault, unprotected sex, and promote healthy, fair relationships.
OPHEA has compiled some relevant referenced statistics regarding the reality of sexual violence in Canada and its prevalence in communities and its potential impact on the lives of others:
- One in three girls or women, one in six boys or men, and one in five transgender individuals will experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime.
- Girls and women under the age of 25 experience the highest rates of sexual assault and criminal harassment than women above that age.
- Girls and women with disabilities are four times more likely than girls and women without disabilities to experience sexual violence.
- Indigenous women are three times more likely than other women to experience all forms of violence.
- Less than 10% of sexual assaults are reported to police.
- Approximately 80–95% of sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows.
In 2020, the sexual assault rate in Windsor was 61.21 per 100,000 individuals (Windsor Essex Community Foundation, 2022), but it is important to keep in mind that sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes. A University of Calgary study from 2021 found that 1 in 3 Canadian youth (Grades 9-10) who had dated reported adolescent dating violence.
Using the Ministry of Education’s Foundations for a Healthy School framework, schools, school boards, parents, and community partners can work together to develop healthy school environments that promote and support student well-being. Consent resources and supports are organized below following this framework.
Resources & Information for:
Resources
- WECHU - Tips for Delivering Human Development & Sexual Health Information to Students: General information to support effective implementation of sexual health education class. This is also available in French.
- Information on what to do if an incident occurs at school or there is suspected or disclosed maltreatment:
- Ministry of Education- Report an incident that happens at school: What to do if an incident involving a student occurs at school, at a school-related activity, or in any other circumstance where the student’s behaviour can harm the school climate.
- Government of Canada- Child Maltreatment: A “What to Do” Guide for Professionals Who Work With Children: How to identify and report suspected, observed, or disclosed maltreatment; legal responsibilities; and approaches to prevention and treatment and the evidence of their effectiveness.
- Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies- How to report abuse: Information about how to call, what happens when you call, as well as additional information (e.g., Duty to Report, FAQs, testimonials).
- OPHEA - preparing lessons for teaching: Provides information to consider when adopting a consent-based approach on gender-based violence prevention education.
- British Columbia, Ministry of Education and Child Care- Supporting Student Health Resource Guides: provide teachers with useful starting points for teaching a variety of health topics, including building understanding around consent and prevention of gender-based violence. Any grade curriculum links may need to be verified. Focuses on age-appropriate and non-discriminatory approaches for the classroom.
- PHE Canada- Trauma and violence informed teaching - why it is critically important, and how we can do it: It is important that students feel welcomed and safe at school and that students that may have experienced trauma in the past are not re-traumatized when teaching about consent.
- Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Society and partners- Beastie Valley: A series of educational videos that support the Ontario Dress Purple Day Prevention Classroom Resources for Elementary Schools. The day aims to raise awareness among students about their right to safety and well-being. Topics such as physical touch, self-esteem, and getting help are included. Also available in French.
- Learning Network & Knowledge Hub- Cycling Through Consent: The video explains consent without talking directly about sex to get students thinking about it in a new way.
Lesson and Activities
- WECHU - Jeopardy Game/Tips for Teaching Sexual Health: This is an interactive game supports learning in a fun way. Available in French.
Faciliator Guides are available in English and French. - teachingsexualhealth.ca- Consent: General information, video, and links to lesson plans on the topic of consent. You can go to Lesson Plan & Resource Finder on the website and filter topics to consent for additional resources, including quizzes and presentations.
- Toronto Public Health- Sexual Health Resources for Teachers: Updated resources for educators touching on abuse prevention/relationships with activities and inclusive language to align with legislation; targeting grades 5 & 6, and grades 7 & up.
- Kids Health- Healthy Relationships - Teacher's Guide: Select teacher’s guides (either Grades 6 to 8 or Grades 9 to 12) → Personal Health → Scroll to Puberty, Growing Up & Emotions section and select resources (teacher’s guide, handout, quiz) under Peer Pressure.
- OPHEA: Multiple resources, lessons, and activities around consent for all grade levels (need to create a free account to view all resources). Search for consent and can filter results by grade level. Here are some activities to get you started:
- Consent Means Respecting Yourself and Others: Lesson plan geared toward Grade 2 to learn the importance of consent and how to stand up for ourselves and others.
- Communicating Clearly: Lesson plan for Grade 7 students to understand the concept of consent, how consent is communicated, and the need to communicate clearly when making decisions about sexual activity.
- Photo Sharing Scenario Activity: Grade 7-9 students work through a scenario to explore what consent means in a real-life situation and how violation of consent can occur when intimate photos are shared without permission.
- Consent Tea Party: Geared to students of all ages it reviews the concept of consent using the analogy of a tea party. Creates a safe space to talk about consent in an easy-to-understand way.
- Canadian Centre for Child Protection- It Is a Big Deal Activity Book: This resource can be downloaded free and used in sexual health lessons for Grades 9-12. It covers consent and other healthy relationship topics.
- Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies- Dress Purple Day Guide for Teachers and Educational Professionals: Many resources to consider for example the Safety in the Community lesson plan has activities that support understanding of inappropriate touch.
- Ophea- Healthy Schools Certification: Gives your school the tools to promote and enhance the health and well-being of students, school staff, and the broader school community. Contact your school nurse at 519-258-2146 x 1555 for more information on how they can support your school in achieving a Healthy Schools Certification.
- Ophea- Introduction to Consent: A video that aims for viewers to be able to communicate the definition of consent in Canada and understand why starting from a place of consent is important to the prevention of sexual violence.
- Intersectional Approaches to Consent Education: Video for educators that explains the concept of intersectionality and offers some tips for teaching sexual violence prevention from this lens.
- Teachers Talk Sex Ed: Practical Approaches to Implementation: Webinar for educators that touches on consensual and non-consensual behaviours.
- Human Development and Sexual Health in the Elementary H&PE Curriculum: Webinar for elementary educators that supports covering various topics including legal age of consent, gender identity and gender expression.
- Kids Help Phone- Quiz: How much do you know about consent?: Quiz to review how much you know about consent (can review article on consent for more information).
- White Ribbon: Campaign that engages people through the creative use of social and mobile tools to inspire people to speak out against gender-based violence.
- OPHEA - Ideas for Action- Growth and Development (French Version): Can be used alone or with the Ophea Healthy School Certification process for education about healthy growth and development. This is a starting point to encourage students to start conversations about topics related to healthy relationships in your school and community. This guide provides key information about existing programs and resources, tips for getting started, things to consider, sources of support in your community, in Ontario, and across Canada, and activity ideas in the following areas:
School Campaigns and Social Media
Create school campaigns, wellness boards, or social media posts around health promotion-themed days, months, or weeks:
- Possibility Seeds- Consent Awareness Week: held during the third week of September across Canada. It invites people to have thoughtful, affirming, intersectional, and age-appropriate conversations about consent.
- Sexual Assault Prevention Month: held in May across Ontario to raise awareness about the devastating impact of this crime, to better understand its deep cultural and historical roots, to support victims and survivors, and to work together to stop the violence.
Ontario’s Ministry of Education: Policy and Program Direction
- Policy/Program Memorandum 119: Developing and implementing equity and inclusive education policies in Ontario schools.
- Policy/Program Memorandum 120: Reporting violent incidents to the Ministry of Education.
School Board Policies
- School boards can set policies that influence the social & environmental norms that students experience. Please refer to your specific school board and/or school’s policies and code of conduct for further information. Individual schools should speak to their school boards about whether they can develop individual school policies.
Support in the Community
- Windsor-Essex Youth Services Card: Provides contact information related to help lines and counselling in Windsor-Essex County. Downloadable and printable resource to share that has information on various community agencies.
- Youth Wellness Hub Windsor-Essex: Combines the right services for youth aged 12-25 offering walk-in services, access to a Nurse Practitioner for primary care, and community social services. The Youth Wellness Hub also offers recreational activities and peer support. Services are available in Windsor and Leamington locations.
- Sexual Assault Crisis Centre- 24-hour crisis line: Call 519-253-9667, for free private counselling either face to face, group or e-counselling, and peer support.
- Additional information on consent.
- Windsor Regional Hospital- Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre: Provides medical assessment and treatment, testing for sexually transmitted infections, and psychological support. Also has the SAFEKIDS program, which provides a medical assessment of children suspected of being sexually abused or assaulted. The program provides the expertise of medical personnel trained in the area of child sexual abuse/assault, identifies medical problems requiring treatment, and determines any further services, which may be required.
Additional Resources and Supports
- Anova- Caregiver's Guide to Teaching the ABCs of Consent: Provides caregivers (parents, guardians, and professionals) the tools needed to teach, model, and support kids to learn about Anatomy (A), Boundaries (B), and Communication (C), to better understand consent.
- Sex & U- Consent: Additional information on what consent is, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and online safety.
Support in the Community
- Windsor-Essex Youth Services Card: Provides contact information related to help lines and counselling in Windsor-Essex County. Downloadable and printable resource to share that has information on various community agencies.
- Youth Wellness Hub Windsor-Essex: Combines the right services for youth aged 12-25 offering walk-in services, access to a Nurse Practitioner for primary care, and community social services. The Youth Wellness Hub also offers recreational activities and peer support. Services are available in Windsor and Leamington locations.
- Sexual Assault Crisis Centre- 24-hour crisis line: Call 519-253-9667, for free private counselling either face to face, group or e-counselling, and peer support.
- Additional information on consent.
- Windsor Regional Hospital- Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre: Provides medical assessment and treatment, testing for sexually transmitted infections, and psychological support. Also has the SAFEKIDS program, which provides a medical assessment of children suspected of being sexually abused or assaulted. The program provides the expertise of medical personnel trained in the area of child sexual abuse/assault, identifies medical problems requiring treatment, and determines any further services, which may be required.
Additional Resources and Supports
- Anova- Caregiver's Guide to Teaching the ABCs of Consent: Provides caregivers (parents, guardians, and professionals) the tools needed to teach, model, and support kids to learn about Anatomy (A), Boundaries (B), and Communication (C), to better understand consent.
- Sex & U- Consent: Additional information on what consent is, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and online safety.
- Kids Help Phone- Consent: Reviews basics of consent (i.e., communicating boundaries and asking about others’ limits; respecting that past consent doesn’t mean that it is ongoing) and includes a video to share with students.
- Teen Health Source: Blogs, quizzes, definitions, and additional information on various topics relating to sexual health, healthy relationships, etc. that are geared toward teenagers.
- Kids Help Phone- Quiz: How much do you know about consent?: Quiz to review how much you know about consent (can review article on consent for more information).
- White Ribbon: Campaign that engages people through the creative use of social and mobile tools to inspire people to speak out against gender-based violence.
- OPHEA - Ideas for Action- Growth and Development (French Version): Can be used alone or with the Ophea Healthy School Certification process for education about healthy growth and development. This is a starting point to encourage students to start conversations about topics related to healthy relationships in your school and community. This guide provides key information about existing programs and resources, tips for getting started, things to consider, sources of support in your community, in Ontario, and across Canada, and activity ideas in the following areas:
School Campaigns and Social Media
Create school campaigns, wellness boards, or social media posts around health promotion-themed days, months, or weeks:
- Possibility Seeds- Consent Awareness Week: held during the third week of September across Canada. It invites people to have thoughtful, affirming, intersectional, and age-appropriate conversations about consent.
- Sexual Assault Prevention Month: held in May across Ontario to raise awareness about the devastating impact of this crime, to better understand its deep cultural and historical roots, to support victims and survivors, and to work together to stop the violence.
Support in the Community
- Windsor-Essex Youth Services Card: Provides contact information related to help lines and counselling in Windsor-Essex County. Downloadable and printable resource to share that has information on various community agencies.
- Youth Wellness Hub Windsor-Essex: Combines the right services for youth aged 12-25 offering walk-in services, access to a Nurse Practitioner for primary care, and community social services. The Youth Wellness Hub also offers recreational activities and peer support. Services are available in Windsor and Leamington locations.
- Sexual Assault Crisis Centre- 24-hour crisis line: Call 519-253-9667, for free private counselling either face to face, group or e-counselling, and peer support.
- Additional information on consent.
- Windsor Regional Hospital- Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre: Provides medical assessment and treatment, testing for sexually transmitted infections, and psychological support. Also has the SAFEKIDS program, which provides a medical assessment of children suspected of being sexually abused or assaulted. The program provides the expertise of medical personnel trained in the area of child sexual abuse/assault, identifies medical problems requiring treatment, and determines any further services, which may be required.
Additional Resources and Supports
- Anova- Caregiver's Guide to Teaching the ABCs of Consent: Provides caregivers (parents, guardians, and professionals) the tools needed to teach, model, and support kids to learn about Anatomy (A), Boundaries (B), and Communication (C), to better understand consent.
- Sex & U- Consent: Additional information on what consent is, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and online safety.