#16DaysofActivism – Guest Blog – Faye O’Rourke
01 December 2017
My teenage years were a series of awkward moments and misunderstandings. Some were a part of growing up and others weren’t, or at least shouldn’t be. Consent is of the utmost importance in relation to sexual contact. The pressure on young people to become sexually active can have damaging effects. Some can be pressured into participating and in some cases pressured by peers into pressurizing. Highlighting consent and educating about consent is for everyone’s benefit, and not only for our young people. We have been given the gift of reason so we must continue to better ourselves and use it. We must listen instead of talk. We must always establish consent before engaging in a sexual act and always feel free to withdraw consent during a sexual act. We need to open the lines of communication between strangers, partners, peers, teachers and generations to strive for a greater and safer society.