In sexual violence prevention work, teaching consent has become one of the key principles of public education for individuals and communities. Consent simply means to actively agree to something. It should be freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic, and specific. On a deeper level, consent must also include an understanding of free will and capacity to make decisions. It is important that everyone is able to make their own decisions about their relationships and recognize power dynamics, such as age or position of authority, that could impact their choices. Beyond a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ consent education must assess the power dynamics, prior experiences, and cultural norms that may impact someone’s ability to freely consent to sexual activity.
Consent is also an ongoing conversation, meaning that the agreement should be regularly returned to and checked in on to ensure everyone remains in agreement. It is about communicating, setting, and respecting boundaries. From friendships to intimate relationships, understanding consent is an important part of socializing and being in healthy relationships. The concept should be introduced as early as possible, taught and adapted as an important age-appropriate life skill at any age.
We can educate children from an early age about setting boundaries and respecting consent. By doing so, we provide kids with a sense of autonomy over their own bodies. For younger kids, the conversation about consent can start long before the conversation about sex. We can discuss consent to playing with friends, asking for a hug or high five, and asking to borrow a toy. For youth and young adults, we can build on this foundational knowledge to incorporate romantic and intimate relationships.
In Maryland, the regulations for Comprehensive Health Education require students in prekindergarten through high school to be taught about consent. Under the Safety and Violence Prevention standard, the regulations state that ‘students shall participate in age-appropriate instruction on the awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and assault. Teachers who are trained to provide instruction on the awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and assault shall deliver this instruction. This will include age-appropriate instruction on the meaning of “consent” and respect for personal boundaries’ (MD COMAR 13A.04.18.01). This stems from §7-445 of the Education Article, enacted in 2018 with MCASA support and sponsored by then-Delegate Ariana Kelly.
MCASA supported the development of an educator training program last year with the Maryland State Department of Education and Maryland Public Television. The curriculum Preventing Sexual Violence through Health Skill Development - A Secondary Educator Module aims to build the capacity of middle and high school educators to teach skill-based approaches to sexual abuse and assault prevention education, including consent education.
Consent education is important foundational knowledge to help our young people, and people of all ages, build and maintain healthy and supportive relationships. It is also a valuable tool for sexual violence prevention education as we teach people how to set and communicate their boundaries, while respecting the boundaries of others.
References
Comprehensive Health Education Instructional Programs for Grades Prekindergarten—12. MD COMAR 13A.04.18.01. Retrieved from: https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/13A.04.18.01.aspx
Maryland Comprehensive Health Education Framework: Pre-Kindergarten Through High School. (June 2021). Maryland State Department of Education. Retrieved from: https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DCAA/Health/Health_Education_Framework_July_2022.pdf
Preventing Sexual Violence through Health Skill Development -A Secondary Educator Module (2022). Maryland State Department of Education. Retrieved from: https://msde.instructure.com/courses/750
