Canberra, Australia (CU)_ The online curriculum, which was intended to teach schoolchildren about consent and sexual harassment, was met with criticism for being misleading and incomplete. The Australian government has eliminated a milkshake video from the sex education campaign that activists described as concerning and confusing.
The news sources said that the online program was created to educate schoolchildren about consent and sexual harassment. The program was released on The Good Society website, which is an integral part of the Australian government’s Respect Matters program to support respectful relationships education in all Australian schools. The curriculum included about 350 videos, articles, and podcasts.
Experts in rape prevention and sexual education expressed concern about the campaign’s videos, claiming that they used vague metaphors and failed to convey the actual message. A video in the program showed a teen girl smudging milkshake on her boyfriend’s face without his consent. Another video, which is about respecting rules and choices, showed a girl who is reluctant about swimming with sharks though her boyfriend attempts to persuade her to swim.
Karen Willis of Fair Agenda and End Rape on Campus Australia told news.com.au that the government’s online sex education campaign was concerning and frustrating. Ms Willis explained, “Young people are more sophisticated than this content gives them credit for. And sex and consent is far more complicated than videos about milkshakes and sharks at the beach”.
According to Dr. Jacqui Hendriks, the sexual health academic at Curtin University, the content failed to discuss the concerned topic of sex and consent. She said, “Trying to talk about sex without actually talking about sex isn’t helpful. We need to be specifically talking about consent in an intimate and sexual relationship.” The videos also encountered criticism on social media.
According to Dr Michele Bruniges, secretary of the Department of Education, Skills and Jobs, the two videos have been eliminated from The Good Society website. She said, “In response to community and stakeholder feedback, two videos have been removed from The Good Society website”.
She promised that the website will be evaluated by experts to ensure quality curriculum. She added, “The website is designed to be a live and dynamic resource, with content added, removed, and modified, to ensure it remains current and appropriate. The Department will continue to engage with experts to evaluate the materials that appear on the website to ensure they are fit for purpose and reflect current experiences and community issues.”
