Great resources to read, watch, and listen to self-educate on sexual violence and consent
Sexual violence is an umbrella term covering a range of different forms of violence, including sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Learning to better navigate consent is essential for sexual violence prevention.
Choosing to disclose or report an experience of sexual violence can be difficult, and each person has the right to choose the path best for them.
Safety planning is about thinking through steps to be safer for those at risk of violence.
Intersectionality describes the experiences of those living at the intersection of two or more marginalized identities and is a useful framework for understanding the realities of sexual violence.
Taking care of ourselves and our communities are how we heal and how we work towards building a culture of consent.
Sex is natural, normal, healthy, and pleasurable. Let’s treat it that way.
Our understanding of sex, gender and sexual orientation is an important part of the way we understand sexual violence.
Consensual sexting can be a great way to explore pleasure and connect virtually. Without consent, it’s harmful and against the law.
Stalking, formally called criminal harassment in Canada, is a form of sexual violence and is illegal.
In this four-part playlist, Planned Parenthood explores what consent looks like in different situations, including when someone wants to have sex, when someone isn’t sure if they want to have sex, and when someone doesn’t want to have sex.
These films depict various cases of sexual harassment, all based on real events.
Members of the McMaster community can use their MacID and password to access high-quality courses on LinkedIn Learning. See selected courses below for an introduction to topics related to sexual violence.
“As a male ally, you can help boost diversity by chipping away at the systems that perpetuate everyday unconscious bias. In this course, Emilie Aries shares simple actions you can take right away to further gender equality in your workplace.”
“By going from bystander to upstander—someone who holds their coworkers accountable for bad behavior—you can turn a toxic workplace into a supportive environment where employees are able to do their best work.”
“In this course, Catherine Mattice Zundel explains how to approach this critical topic so that real, positive change can occur at your organization…Discover how to help prevent harassment by placing a greater focus on culture in conjunction with policy and training.”
“In this course, diversity, equity, and inclusion thought leader, Rhodes Perry, teaches a framework on how you can engage in acts of allyship to support your LGBTQ+ colleagues. He also offers strategies for organizational leaders to build an LGBTQ+ inclusive organization.”
“This training is designed to support all employees of universities and colleges in Ontario to respond supportively and effectively to disclosures of sexual violence [and] know where to seek tangible support & resources”
“The online training program offered here will assist in preparing everyone in the workplace to not only recognize signs of domestic violence, but also how to respond and seek help when workers are experiencing domestic violence.”
30 minutes
“The purpose of this training module is to provide emergency department health care providers training that will assist them in providing victims/survivors of sexual assault with appropriate and sensitive care in emergency departments. The training module provides an overview of the established procedures for collaborating with Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre staff about the care, transporting, and/or transferring of sexual assault victims/survivors who present to the ED.”
1 hour, 15 minutes
“This curriculum on trans-affirming care in the sexual assault context includes a general introduction to the issue (Key Terms, Experiences of Sexual Assault, and Interactions with Healthcare) as well as core elements for the practice of forensic nursing (Initial Assessment, Medical Care, Forensic Examination, and Discharge & Referral).”
3 hours
“The HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis (HIV PEP) program enhances sexual assault care in Ontario by providing HIV counseling and HIV risk assessment to all sexual assault victims/survivors presenting to Ontario Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres (SA/DVTC), and offering free anti-HIV medications to those at risk of contracting HIV from the assault.”
“VEGA has developed an online platform of education resources comprised of learning modules (e.g., care pathways, scripts, how-to videos), interactive educational scenarios and a Handbook. These resources are based on a series of systematic reviews summarizing the scientific evidence. VEGA’s family violence education resources will assist healthcare and social service providers (including students) in addressing the needs of those who may have experienced family violence.”
“We’re taught to believe that hard work and dedication will lead to success, but that’s not always the case. Gender, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation are among the many factors that affect our chances, says writer and advocate Melinda Epler, and it’s up to each of us to be allies for those who face discrimination.”
Content note: description of sexual assault
“At TEDWomen, Tony Porter makes a call to men everywhere: Don’t “act like a man.” Telling powerful stories from his own life, he shows how this mentality, drummed into so many men and boys, can lead men to disrespect, mistreat and abuse women and each other.”
Content note: sexual content
“Our ideas about sex need an upgrade, say sex educators (and hilarious women) Tiffany Kagure Mugo and Siphumeze Khundayi. For a radical new take on sex positivity, the duo take the TED stage to suggest we look to Africa for erotic wisdom both ancient and modern.”
“In 2006, Tarana Burke was consumed by a desire to do something about the sexual violence she saw in her community. She took out a piece of paper, wrote “Me Too” across the top and laid out an action plan for a movement centered on the power of empathy between survivors. More than a decade later, she reflects on what has since become a global movement.”
Content note: sexual assault
“Pastor Seth Shelley takes us on an emotional and at times difficult journey about male sexual violence. He brings forward his own story of sexual assault to ask men to open up about their personal stories too. Recorded at TEDxUNBC in Prince George, BC.”
“Transgender activist and TED Resident Samy Nour Younes shares the remarkable, centuries-old history of the trans community, filled with courageous stories, inspiring triumphs — and a fight for civil rights that’s been raging for a long time.”
“Sex educator Emily Nagoski breaks down one of the most dangerous myths about sex and introduces us to the science behind arousal nonconcordance: when there’s a disconnect between physical response and the experience of pleasure and desire.”
“Now more than ever, it’s important to look boldly at the reality of race and gender bias — and understand how the two can combine to create even more harm. Kimberlé Crenshaw uses the term “intersectionality” to describe this phenomenon; as she says, if you’re standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you’re likely to get hit by both.”
“Domestic violence and sexual abuse are often called “women’s issues.” But in this bold, blunt talk, Jackson Katz points out that these are intrinsically men’s issues — and shows how these violent behaviors are tied to definitions of manhood. A clarion call for us all — women and men — to call out unacceptable behavior and be leaders of change.”
Content note: sexual content, cis-normative language
“Why do girls feel empowered to engage in sexual activity but not to enjoy it? For three years, author Peggy Orenstein interviewed girls ages 15 to 20 about their attitudes toward and experiences of sex. She discusses the pleasure that’s largely missing from their sexual encounters and calls on us to close the “orgasm gap” by talking candidly with our girls.”
“Lindsay Amer is the creator of “Queer Kid Stuff,” an educational video series that breaks down complex ideas around gender and sexuality through songs and metaphors. By giving kids and their families a vocabulary to express themselves, Amer is helping to create more empathetic adults — and spreading a message of radical acceptance in a world where it’s sometimes dangerous to just be yourself.”
“Sexting, like anything that’s fun, runs its risks — but a serious violation of privacy shouldn’t be one of them. Amy Adele Hasinoff looks at problematic responses to sexting in mass media, law and education, offering practical solutions for how individuals and tech companies can protect sensitive (and, ahem, potentially scandalous) digital files.”
“Why do women who experience sexual assault rarely speak up about it? “Because they fear they won’t be believed,” says Inés Hercovich…In this moving talk, she takes us inside an encounter with sexual assault to give us a clearer idea of what these situations really look like (In Spanish with English subtitles)”
“For some reason, says educator Al Vernacchio, the metaphors for talking about sex in the US all come from baseball — scoring, getting to first base, etc. The problem is, this frames sex as a competition, with a winner and a loser. Instead, he suggests a new metaphor, one that’s more about shared pleasure, discussion and agreement, fulfillment and enjoyment. Let’s talk about … pizza.”
“In a talk about understanding and practicing the art of healthy relationships, Katie Hood reveals the five signs you might be in an unhealthy relationship—with a romantic partner, a friend, a family member—and shares the things you can do every day to love with respect, kindness and joy.”
“Referencing the workshops he conducts with boys and young men, Nathaniel illustrates the complexity of giving and receiving consent in sex and relationships. He shows how a focus on verbal and non-verbal communication skills can help boys to shift their perspective on sex and to realise that consent is something they can give too.”
“Jonathan Kalin views himself not as a consent educator, but rather as an unhealthy consent deconstructor. His initial goal is not to teach a word for word definition of consent or even present creative ways to talk about consent, but rather to offer students a glimpse into our subconscious consent educators (culture, media, etc.), empathize as to why it’s so easy to ignore these “correct” definitions or to think they are unrealistic, and breakdown why some of these messages are so dangerous.”
Content note: coarse and graphic language, and descriptions of sexual violence
“In this searching, powerful talk, Ashley Judd recounts her ongoing experience of being terrorized on social media for her unwavering activism and calls on citizens of the internet, the tech community, law enforcement and legislators to recognize the offline harm of online harassment.”
“When Gretchen Carlson spoke out about her experience of workplace sexual harassment, it inspired women everywhere to take their power back and tell the world what happened to them. In a remarkable, fierce talk, she tells her story — and identifies three specific things we can all do to create safer places to work.”
“At age 10, Emily Quinn found out she was intersex, and in this wise, funny talk, she shares eye-opening lessons from a life spent navigating society’s thoughtless expectations, doctors who demanded she get unnecessary surgery — and advocating for herself and the incredible variety that humans come in.”
Content note: coarse and graphic language
“Who is the person behind the porn photo? Did she consent to that image being shared and viewed by thousands? What is the impact on her life?”
Podcasts exploring sexual and gender-based violence, intersectionality, masculinity, and healthy relationships.
“Healing Comes in Waves is a podcast for survivors to explore healing after harm. Too often, the conversation about sexual violence focuses on what was done to us but not how we choose to heal.
This season we talk to survivors, educators, and advocates about how to attend to feelings, make connections and figure out what justice means to us.”
“Where is Cleo? Taken by child welfare workers in the 1970’s and adopted in the U.S., the young Cree girl’s family believes she was raped and murdered while hitchhiking back home to Saskatchewan. CBC news investigative reporter Connie Walker joins the search to find out what really happened to Cleo.”
“This five-part series examines how socially-isolated young men can vanish into an online world of nihilism and despair that radicalizes them into angry — potentially deadly — misogynists. Hosted by Ellen Chloë Bateman and produced by Daemon Fairless (Hunting Warhead).”
“Prevent Resist Support is a new podcast from the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention, Resistance, and Support at the University of Windsor. This podcast will focus on the ins and outs of campus-based sexual violence prevention. We’ll be discussing our local approaches to tackling the complex issue of sexual and gender-based violence, and interviewing experts in the field.”
“Some of the world’s most elite universities are failing to protect their students when it comes to sexual misconduct by staff or other students. Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit has spent two years examining how British universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow, and Warwick deal with complaints of sexual harassment, sexist, drunken behaviour, and coercive control.”
“#Metoo has led many people to share their experiences with sexual harassment and sexual assault. It’s sparked conversations and controversy and maybe even cultural change. Unsettled: Mapping #Metoo is a podcast from Iowa Public Radio dedicated to conversations about the impact of #MeToo and what comes next.”
“Imagine talking about sexuality like we talk about food! It’s time to bring conversations of healthy sexuality to the kitchen table and be the future that our ancestors envisioned. It’s not just about sex; it is about the expansiveness of sexuality that encompass our understanding of the world, our relationships to land and water, and solving health issues that affect our communities. Indigenous Sexual Futures are stories of hope, truth, reclamation, strength, survivance and thrivance. Let’s feast while we imagine a new future that builds on the strength of Indigenous Knowledges on sexuality and embraces wholeness and health in our communities.”
“Intersectionality Matters! is a podcast hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw, an American civil rights advocate and a leading scholar of critical race theory.”
“Alright, Now What?, a podcast from the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Every other Wednesday, our experts and partners put an intersectional feminist lens on one topic or story we’ve all been hearing about … the issues and stories that just seem to keep resurfacing and make you wonder, “What’s this about?”, “Why is this still happening?”, and “How is it possible we haven’t fixed this yet?” We’re going to explore the systemic roots of these things and the strategies for change that will move us closer to the goal of gender justice. Listen wherever you get your podcast content.”
“The Man Enough Podcast, hosted by actor & director Justin Baldoni, author & journalist Liz Plank, and President of Wayfarer Studios & award winning music producer Jamey Heath, investigates how traditional structures and attitudes toward masculinity oppress and negatively affect men, women and humanity as a whole. Armed with candor and compassion, each episode engages in honest and at times uncomfortable conversations with celebrities, thought leaders and change-makers. The weekly series explores how the messages of masculinity show up in relationships, body image, privilege, fatherhood, sex, success, mental health and so much more.”
“For nearly half a century, Bill Cosby brought warmth and laughter into hearts across the country, cementing his image as “America’s Dad.” But he also led a dark, secret life preying on women. The comedian carefully coaxed each one into feeling safe and cared for, then left them to pick up the pieces of their lives. It all started with Andrea Constand. She carried the burden of being the only one of the 60-plus accusers whose case could be tried in a court of law. Now, she’s telling her side of the story, along with firsthand accounts from more than a dozen survivors, jurors and prosecutors. From the Los Angeles Times, and hosted by investigative reporter Nicki Weisensee Egan, “Chasing Cosby” is the definitive take of the rise and fall of Bill Cosby.”
“As the adage goes, boys will not be boys. They will be men. What if we could stay connected to them and help them become healthy, gentle, loving men? What if we taught them to meet fear with honesty, to meet isolation with communication, to meet violence with dignity? What if each boy met the boy code with a chain breaker and an open heart?
Each episode of the podcast is centred on a boy describing a single experience. This is interwoven with the perspectives of experts and leaders in progressive masculinity: writers, educators, researchers, parents, mentors. As we talk, the hidden becomes visible. The visible becomes a step towards connection.”