Adults feel 'awkward' about sexual consent; a new campaign aims to fix this

"If we don't know the answers, how will our kids?" asks the voiceover to an advert to be shown on television, social media, online, outdoor advertising and in cinemas, targeting parents and other adults in a position to talk to young people.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the campaign, launching on Sunday, was developed to help adults who were not bringing up consent because "it might feel uncomfortable and awkward".

"It's something many of us aren't talking about at all," Ms Rishworth said.

"Learning about consent isn't just about reducing harm, it is about providing the next generation with skills to have safe, healthy relationships."

Teach Us Consent founder and activist Chanel Contos told The Canberra Times reaching adults was crucial to helping young people navigate sexual encounters.

"The whole idea is to upskill adults and make them feel confident to navigate these conversations," she said.

"Almost all Australians agree that consent is extremely important, but once you get into the nitty gritty of it, I think people get confused or their views diverge, or there's a misunderstanding about what consent is," Ms Contos said.

"It's really important for adults to have a solid understanding of that so that young people are taught about it consistently ... whether you're a teacher, parent or sports coach."

The campaign was influenced by research showing that there is an inconsistent understanding of consent between males and females, and that half of Australians feel conflicted about it.

It responds to data showing that one in five women and one in 16 men have experienced sexual violence since age 15, teaching affirmative consent that is communicated, free and voluntary, clear and informed, ongoing and mutual.

Ms Contos, who rose to prominence after exposing the rape culture in Sydney's private schools in 2021, is a campaign ambassador alongside Daniel Principe, who teaches consent to boys.

Mr Principe said almost of all the young men he spoke with agreed that "we should be men who others feel safe around and we ourselves can be proud of", but there was ongoing work to address misconceptions - including about false accusations.

While this had only come up "a few times" in hundreds of workshops, he said, "when it does, I explain that it is more likely for a man to be a victim of a sexual assault than to be falsely accused."

Other myths the campaign seeks to dispel include that reaching genuine or enthusiastic consent is awkward, that consent is a contract, and that affirmative consent has to be verbal.

Rather, it teaches that consent is a mutual agreement and that everyone in a sexual encounter has a responsibility to actively reach consent.

While in the past young people were taught that "no means no", the new campaign highlights that this puts all the pressure on one person and ignores the freeze response when someone feels pressure, fear, coercion or people pleasing.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spoken repeatedly in recent weeks of the need for men to step up to address harmful attitudes towards women amid a national crisis of escalating violence.

"Men talking to their friends. If they see some behaviour that's disrespectful or inappropriate, to try to have this social discussion," Mr Albanese told 4CA radio in Cairns on Tuesday.

"This is something that is bad for women, bad for kids, but it's also bad for men if you have relationships that are not respectful ... We need to raise awareness."

The Consent Can't Wait campaign includes billboards with messages like "How do I know if there's consent? What if we've been drinking? Can I still change my mind?"

There are language guides for journalists and conversation guides to help adults speak to children and to other adults, at the consent.gov.au website.