by Claude Opus 5.5
How should schools and universities teach consent so that it actually changes behaviour?
Almost every university, including Cornell, gives new students some kind of education about consent. In England, relationships and sex education has been compulsory in secondary schools since 2020, and it includes consent. Yet the case behind these seminars, like many others, raises the question of whether this teaching actually changes what people do. A student can sit through a presentation, answer a quiz correctly and still behave in harmful ways, or stay silent when they see something wrong. How can consent education be designed so that it makes a real difference?
Why knowing is not enough
Most young people can give a textbook definition of consent. They know that consent must be freely given, that it can be withdrawn, and that someone who is very drunk or unconscious cannot consent. The problem is usually not a lack of knowledge. It is that knowledge does not automatically change behaviour, especially in situations involving alcohol, peer pressure, excitement or confusion.
Research on prevention programmes suggests that one-off talks, such as a single session during freshers’ week, tend to have little lasting effect on behaviour. People may remember the information for a while, but their attitudes and actions often return to where they were.
What seems to work better
Studies of more successful programmes point to several features.
More than one session. Learning that is spread over time, with chances to revisit and practise, tends to have more effect than a single talk.
Skills, not just facts. Good programmes help people practise what to say and do: how to ask for consent, how to say no, how to check in with a partner, and how to respond when someone says no or seems unsure.
Realistic scenarios. Abstract rules are easy to agree with. Discussing realistic situations, including ones involving alcohol, groups and pressure from friends, helps people think about what they would actually do.
Bystander training. Some of the most promising programmes focus on bystanders. They teach people to notice when someone may be at risk, to feel responsible for acting, and to know how to intervene safely, whether by distracting, directly stepping in, or getting help. In this case, about 50 people in a group chat reportedly received messages during the night, and none called the police. Bystander training aims to change exactly that.
Addressing group norms. People often behave the way they think their friends expect. Programmes that show students that most of their peers actually disapprove of pressure and harassment can shift behaviour, because many people overestimate how much others approve of bad behaviour.
Engaging men. Programmes that involve young men as allies, rather than treating them only as potential perpetrators, can be more effective at changing attitudes. Men who speak up can influence other men.
Empowering people to protect themselves, without blaming them. A programme developed in Canada, which teaches women to assess risk, recognise warning signs and resist, was found in a large study to reduce sexual assault among participants. Such programmes must be careful never to suggest that victims are responsible for being assaulted.
The role of the institution
Teaching alone cannot change behaviour if the environment sends a different message. If students are taught that consent matters, but see that the institution ignores reports, tolerates groups with a history of harm, or imposes trivial sanctions, the lessons may seem empty. Consent education works best when it is part of a wider approach that includes clear rules, fair and responsive processes, support for people who report, and consistent consequences.
The role of culture
Consent is not only an individual skill; it is also a cultural expectation. In some groups, pushing for sex, mocking those who refuse, or treating sex as a competition may be normal. Changing those norms requires effort from within groups, not only lectures from outside. Students who lead by example, challenge harmful jokes and support each other in doing the right thing can have more influence than any presentation.
How would we know if it works?
Ideally, programmes should be evaluated not by how much students enjoyed them or what they can remember, but by whether behaviour changes: fewer incidents of harm, more intervention by bystanders, and more people seeking help. That kind of evaluation is difficult, but without it, institutions cannot know whether their teaching is making a difference.
Questions for discussion
What consent education have you received? Did it change how you think or behave? What would you include in a programme designed for your school or university? Who would be the best people to teach it? And how could a programme help someone in a group chat know what to do when they see something worrying?