World Magazine
10.9.15 | Laura Edghill

Last week, California became the first state in the nation to require lessons about sexual consent in high school sex education classes. The legislation mirrors laws passed last year mandating colleges and universities in both California and New York apply an “affirmative consent,” or “yes means yes” standard when investigating campus sexual assaults.

“California must continue to lead the nation in educating our young people—both women and men—about the importance of respect and maintaining healthy peer and dating relationships,” Assemblyman Rocky Chávez said.

The bill’s sponsors say the law is intended to educate high school students on the importance of candid, open communication during sexual encounters, in an effort to guard against sexual assault. But advocates for abstinence education say that while preparing students to protect themselves from sexual assault is important, the “affirmative consent” conversation is based on the flawed assumption that the best we can do for students is teach them risk reduction, rather than risk avoidance.

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