Consent and literary education: the opportunities and challenges of teaching consent in secondary school English

This article explores whether secondary school English teachers can contribute to consent education in Australia. A scoping study involved reviewing research on consent education, examining both commonly taught and contemporary adolescent literature for themes of sexual consent, and conducting focus groups with English teachers. The textual analysis found frequent sexual consent themes in literature, often linked to interpersonal and intersectional violence. Focus groups revealed that teachers often avoid discussing consent or sexual assault due to concerns about triggering upset or backlash and a lack of frameworks and professional development. The study concludes that further research is needed to identify effective teaching practices when dealing with literary texts that include themes of sexual victimization or assault.