The Australian government, facing criticism for a sex education campaign that activists branded “concerning and confusing”, has removed a ‘milkshake’ video from the campaign that became the focal point of criticism.
According to the The Guardian, the on line programme was created to teach schoolchildren about consent and sexual assault. Consisting of about 350 videos, stories and podcasts, the campaign was published on The Good Society web site, which is element of the Australian government’s Respect Matters programme to “support respectful relationships education in all Australian schools.”
Rape prevention and sexual education specialists raised issues more than the videos in the campaign, saying that they employed confusing metaphors and failed to get the point across.
In one video, a teenaged girl smears milkshake in her boyfriend’s face without the need of his permission. In a further video about respecting boundaries and selections, a girl is hesitant about swimming with sharks though her boyfriend tries to convince her to do so.
This is the government’s new video to educate teenagers on consent… and honestly, I assume I basically know much less about the situation soon after watching this. What’s going on?
Originally reported by @samanthamaiden
Full video right here -https://t.co/hzxSFGWvKqpic.twitter.com/MflbzhDPZP
— Matilda Boseley (@MatildaBoseley) April 19, 2021
Fair Agenda and End Rape on Campus Australia’s Karen Willis told news.com.au the government’s on line programme on sex education was “concerning and confusing.”
“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,” Ms Willis stated.
Dr Jacqui Hendriks, a sexual overall health academic at Curtin University, told The Guardian that the videos failed to address the situation of sex and consent.
“Trying to talk about sex without actually talking about sex isn’t helpful,” she stated. “We need to be specifically talking about consent in an intimate and sexual relationship.”
The videos faced backlash on social media as effectively.
“If someone pushes the line several times … you may want to repair the relationship.”
WHAT is this?!— Amber Schultz (@AmberMay wellSchultz) April 19, 2021
This is worse than something I ever saw or heard through sex education classes in the ’60s & ’70s.
And of course it really is the female who crosses the line with the milkshake, correct?
Wake up, Australia. Wake. Up. #auspol#EnoughIsEnoughhttps://t.co/Qi1CJOgA2p
— Jenny Frecklington-Jones Spiky 🦂💧🌏🏳️🌈🐀 (@JonesHowdareyou) April 19, 2021
Dr Michele Bruniges – secretary of the Department of Education, Skills and Employment – stated on Tuesday that two videos have been removed from The Good Society web site.
“In response to community and stakeholder feedback, two videos have been removed from The Good Society website,” she said.
“The web site is created to be a live and dynamic resource, with content added, removed, and modified, to make certain it remains present and acceptable.
“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.”