The topic of consent has proven to be very prominent in the past year or so, and while there are clearly a lot of adults who don’t yet have a good grasp of the concept, it’s important to focus on teaching it to our children.
The production team at Blue Seat Studios are hoping to do this, with their new cartoon short on ‘Consent for Kids’.
In the video, a cartoon character representing children everywhere breaks the concept down in simple terms.
“This is your body, and you get to decide what you do with your body. No one else is entitled to tell you what to do with your body – not your friends, not strangers, not adults you know,” the character says.
He then tells viewers that each person gets to decide what they are comfortable with, which is where consent comes in.
In the video, there is an emphasis on asking a question and getting a very clear ‘yes’ – and what it means when that ‘yes’ isn’t given.
“It’s really pretty simple: ask for consent, then listen to the answer,” says the character, insisting that nothing short of a ‘yes’ is actually a ‘yes’.
The video also touches on bribery and threatening behaviour, and the importance of confiding in a trusted adult if they feel something is wrong.
It has never been more important to ensure our little ones understand the concept of consent, and this video will hopefully drive the message home.
