Consent Call a High-Profile Demand

Villawood has highlighted the issue of sexual consent in giant hill-top signage along the Geelong Ring Road at its Wandana community. We have installed the message in three-metre-high corten steel letters to catch the attention of tens of thousands of motorists using the road each day.

Consent education is now mandatory nationally after education ministers recently agreed to an holistic, age-appropriate consent curriculum to help counter seriously under-reported sexual assault across the country.

On board to help drive the message home to thousands of passing motorists were key Geelong advocates for greater respect and understanding for women.

“There are no blurred lines when it comes to consent,:” says Helen Bolton, CEO The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre. “Consent is mutual, both people have to agree, and it must be continuous. You can stop at any time, you can change your mind, and just because you said yes to one thing or one time, doesn’t mean you have consented to anything else.”

Laura Burge, Manager, Respectful Behaviours from the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Deakin University said: “It’s great to see an initiative like this continue the conversation around consent and respectful relationships, and it’s placement on the Geelong Ring Road provides the perfect opportunity as motorists make their way to their destination.”

Villawood’s giant letters have been utilised by the developer to highlight a variety of social and community causes in recent years. These have included marriage equality, respect, refugee and indigenous concerns, road safety, mental health, domestic violence, vaccinations, local jobs and more.

Photo: (from left): Laura Burge, Manager, Respectful Behaviours from the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Deakin University; Helen Bolton, CEO, Sexual and Family Violence Centre; Mikayla East, advocate, Barwon Adolescent Taskforce; Andrew Duggan Villawood Properties General Manager Victoria; Natasha Williams, genU Executive General Manager, Residential & Individual Supports; Giulia Baggio, CEO, G21 Regional Alliance; Kate Coghlan, Media and Communications Director, G21.