Crime rates in Canada have fallen, but a continuous spotlight needs to shine on sexual assault and violence against women.
A video went viral that compares sexual consent to making someone tea. It was a comedic look how important asking for consent really is, even in a committed relationship. It shows how easy the concept is by eliminating sex and interchanging it with tea. Although the ideas laid out seem so basic, according to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, only one in three Canadians truly understand what sexual consent is.
Dictionary.com defines consent as “permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.” It seems easy enough, yet one in four women have been, or will be, sexually assaulted in their life time. SexAssault.ca says the largest target for sexual abuse are young and/or vulnerable women. Grasping the concept of consent and utilizing the idea will help eliminate a large chunk of sexual assault crimes.
Awareness is a key step towards prevention. Sexual assault is not a private issue and although it largely affects females, males can be victims as well. To learn more about the sexual assault crime statistics in Canada, click the link below.