Consent Coalition launches in Nottingham
We’re promoting positive conversations around consent
Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week sees the launch of the Consent Coalition website and a brand new set of resources for the people of Nottingham/shire.
The launch and initial set of resources are being promoted over eight weeks and include a survey, a series of awareness raising posters and a booklet for survivors. These have been created by a coalition of many organisations, including Notts SVSS and other sexual violence sector organisations, statutory services and our local universities.
The Coalition asks ‘Do you know that removing a condom during sex without consent is rape?’ ‘Do you know that consent can be withdrawn at any time?’ and other questions. Posters have been created based on known myths around consent from national research as well as feedback from survivors and support agencies. The posters are bright in colour and designed to be both gently challenging, whilst also raising awareness. All of them end with the same sentence – DO YOU GET CONSENT?
The posters, which are housed on the website, ‘click’ through to further information and explanations of consent. They are also free to download and you are welcome to print them off and use them where appropriate.
Another important feature is the Consent and Sexual Violence Awareness Survey. This has questions designed to find out what people already know about consent and the law and looks at common victim-blaming myths. Answers to this survey are anonymous and will help with the development of future resources.
The Coalition has always been aware that, through raising awareness around sexual consent, some survivors may recognise something they have experienced and may need support. This awareness has been key to the development of the Your Journey booklet a guide for survivors of sexual violence, downloadable from the website. This booklet includes details of the support available and, if a person does decide to report, a guide to the choices that they can make and support services they can access during this process.
This guide is already gathering interest from across the UK and we are meeting with the Director of Public Prosecutions, as part of the Coalition, to discuss how it was created, partnership working and what a UK-wide booklet might look like. Locally though, we hope that this guide will help give survivors the information needed to make informed choices following an incident of sexual assault or rape.
Notts SVSS are really pleased to host the Consent Coalition website and to have collaborated with the other organisations on this project. The website and resources are the result of over a year’s work and by promoting positive conversations around consent and providing support information for survivors, we are clear in our message that Nottingham does not tolerate any form of sexual violence.
There are many ways you can help us to promote the work of the Consent Coalition as an individual or as an organisation. Take the survey, download and share our posters and resources, join us on social media and show you get consent by using our Twibbon and #IGetConsent selfie boards. Organisations wishing to formally support the work of the Coalition can email consentcoalitionnotts@gmail.com
Links: https://nottssvss.org.uk/consent-coalition/
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram @ConsentInNotts
Take the survey: https://nottssvss.org.uk/consent-coalition/consent-survey/
Your Journey booklet: https://nottssvss.org.uk/consent-coalition/resources/support-and-reporting/
Download our Twibbon and show you #GetConsent: https://twibbon.com/support/consent-coalition-launch-3
Read the official press release: https://nottssvss.org.uk/consent-coalition/news/
