.svg)
Looking to do something to increase consent in your community? Check out these three letter writing templates from Possibility Seeds to start on your journey to creating positive change!
1) School Board Trustee
Dear __________,
My name is ______________ and I am writing to you today from _______ to urge your school board to adopt and declare the third week of September annually as Consent Awareness Week.
As you know, sexual violence is an epidemic in Canada. From reports about Hockey Canada to high-profile court cases to school walkouts across the country, there has been a heightened conversation about the need for consent education nationally. Unfortunately, only 28% of Canadians fully understand what it means to give consent (Canadian Women’s Foundation). Addressing this starts with awareness, action, and accountability.
This date was chosen because the first six weeks of school are designated the Red Zone, when there is an especially significant increase in sexual violence at schools. We want every school board in Canada to adopt and declare the third week of September annually as Consent Awareness Week. Canada would be the first country in the world to recognize and adopt this week.
Consent Awareness Week invites Canadians to have thoughtful, affirming, intersectional and age-appropriate conversations about consent. Responding to rejection, articulating boundaries, respecting bodily autonomy and active listening are valuable life skills. This week is a significant opportunity to reflect, champion, and celebrate consent as a cornerstone of all relationships, not just intimate ones.
To me, consent means _________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________.
When consent is not understood and respected, the epidemic of sexual violence continues:
- There are 636,000 sexual assaults self-reported every year in Canada.
- In children and youth, 1 in 7 girls reported that another student has sexually assaulted them.
- 15% of girls and 9% of boys between the ages of 14 to 21 identified that they have had a sexual act forced upon them by a peer.
- At Canadian postsecondary schools, 71% of students either witnessed or experienced unwanted sexualized behaviours in a postsecondary setting, and 41% of all reported incidents of sexual assault were reported by students.
- In the workplace, one in four women (25%) and one in six men (17%) reported having been personally subjected to inappropriate sexualized behaviours in 2020.
- 43.9% of survey respondents in the Respect at Work: Harassment and Violence in Canadian Workplaces study were subjected to at least one behaviour or practice of sexual harassment and violence while at work in the past two years.
The data shows that much more needs to be done for Canadians to feel they can be heard and respected for their choices in their relationships, whether on the playground, in the boardroom or in their home.
Endorsing the third week of September as Consent Awareness Week would do a lot to address and prevent gender-based violence in our schools, communities, workplaces, institutions and organizations. Consent Awareness Week is vital to ensuring that every Canadian feels respected and safe wherever they live, work and play. We welcome your participation and leadership to help make Consent Awareness Week a reality.
Sincerely,
____________________
Name
City, Province
2) Political Representative:
Dear __________,
My name is ______________ and I am writing to you today from _______ to urge you to endorse the third week of September annually as Consent Awareness Week.
As you know, sexual violence is an epidemic in Canada. From reports about Hockey Canada to high-profile court cases to school walkouts across the country, there has been a heightened conversation about the need for consent education nationally. Unfortunately, only 28% of Canadians fully understand what it means to give consent (Canadian Women’s Foundation). Addressing this starts with awareness, action, and accountability.
This date was chosen because the first six weeks of school are designated the Red Zone, when there is an especially significant increase in sexual violence at schools. We want every level of government to adopt and declare the third week of September annually as Consent Awareness Week. Canada would be the first country in the world to recognize and adopt this week.
Consent Awareness Week invites Canadians to have thoughtful, affirming, intersectional and age-appropriate conversations about consent. Responding to rejection, articulating boundaries, respecting bodily autonomy and active listening are valuable life skills. This week is a significant opportunity to reflect, champion, and celebrate consent as a cornerstone of all relationships, not just intimate ones.
To me, consent means _________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________.
When consent is not understood and respected, the epidemic of sexual violence continues:
- There are 636,000 sexual assaults self-reported every year in Canada.
- In children and youth, 1 in 7 girls reported that another student has sexually assaulted them.
- 15% of girls and 9% of boys between the ages of 14 to 21 identified that they have had a sexual act forced upon them by a peer.
- At Canadian postsecondary schools, 71% of students either witnessed or experienced unwanted sexualized behaviours in a postsecondary setting, and 41% of all reported incidents of sexual assault were reported by students.
- In the workplace, one in four women (25%) and one in six men (17%) reported having been personally subjected to inappropriate sexualized behaviours in 2020.
- 43.9% of survey respondents in the Respect at Work: Harassment and Violence in Canadian Workplaces study were subjected to at least one behaviour or practice of sexual harassment and violence while at work in the past two years.
The data shows that much more needs to be done for Canadians to feel they can be heard and respected for their choices in their relationships, whether on the playground, in the boardroom or in their home.
Endorsing the third week of September as Consent Awareness Week would do a lot to address and prevent gender-based violence in our schools, communities, workplaces, institutions and organizations. Consent Awareness Week is vital to ensuring that every Canadian feels respected and safe wherever they live, work and play. We welcome your participation and leadership to help make Consent Awareness Week a reality.
Sincerely,
____________________
Name
City, Province
3) Post-Secondary Institution:
Dear __________,
My name is ______________ . I am writing to you today from _______ to urge you to adopt and declare the third week of September annually as Consent Awareness Week at your post-secondary institution.
As you know, sexual violence is an epidemic in Canada. From reports about Hockey Canada to high-profile court cases to school walkouts across the country, there has been a heightened conversation about the need for consent education nationally. Unfortunately, only 28% of Canadians fully understand what it means to give consent (Canadian Women’s Foundation). Addressing this starts with awareness, action, and accountability.
This date was chosen because the first six weeks of school are designated the Red Zone, when there is an especially significant increase in sexual violence at schools. We invite your post-secondary institution to adopt and declare the third week of September annually as Consent Awareness Week. Canada would be the first country in the world to recognize and adopt this week.
Consent Awareness Week invites Canadians to have thoughtful, affirming, intersectional and age-appropriate conversations about consent. Responding to rejection, articulating boundaries, respecting bodily autonomy and active listening are valuable life skills. This week is a significant opportunity to reflect, champion, and celebrate consent as a cornerstone of all relationships, not just intimate ones.
To me, consent means _________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________.
When consent is not understood and respected, the epidemic of sexual violence continues:
- There are 636,000 sexual assaults self-reported every year in Canada.
- In children and youth, 1 in 7 girls reported that another student has sexually assaulted them.
- 15% of girls and 9% of boys between the ages of 14 to 21 identified that they have had a sexual act forced upon them by a peer.
- At Canadian postsecondary schools, 71% of students either witnessed or experienced unwanted sexualized behaviours in a postsecondary setting, and 41% of all reported incidents of sexual assault were reported by students.
- In the workplace, one in four women (25%) and one in six men (17%) reported having been personally subjected to inappropriate sexualized behaviours in 2020.
- 43.9% of survey respondents in the Respect at Work: Harassment and Violence in Canadian Workplaces study were subjected to at least one behaviour or practice of sexual harassment and violence while at work in the past two years.
The data shows that much more needs to be done for Canadians to feel they can be heard and respected for their choices in their relationships, whether on the playground, in the boardroom or in their home.
Endorsing the third week of September as Consent Awareness Week would do a lot to address and prevent gender-based violence in our schools, communities, workplaces, institutions and organizations. Consent Awareness Week is vital to ensuring that every Canadian feels respected and safe wherever they live, work and play. We welcome your participation and leadership to help make Consent Awareness Week a reality.
Sincerely,
____________________
Name
City, Province