2022–2024 · Completed project

CONSENT

Combating online early access to sexually explicit material and enhancing tools to foster youngsters’ healthy intimate relationships

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CONSENT aims to prevent gender-based violence among children and young people by addressing sexualised violence, harmful gender norms and digital risks such as early exposure to pornography and online abuse. Through a multi-level ecological prevention approach, the project empowers young people as critical agents capable of recognising and challenging harmful norms, strengthens adult guidance and promotes safer relational and digital environments.

CONSENT integrates gender-based violence prevention, emotional education and digital safety into coordinated educational and institutional strategies, contributing to healthier relationships and stronger protection of children and young people across Europe.

Why it matters — CONSENT

Gender socialisation during childhood and adolescence plays a decisive role in shaping attitudes, behaviours and expectations around relationships and sexuality. When harmful gender norms, sexualised content, online abuse and digital risks are not addressed early, they can contribute to patterns of violence and victimisation later in life. Promoting consent from an early age is therefore essential to preventing gender-based violence and ensuring healthier, safer relational and digital environments for young people.

Core Objectives

Prevent gender-based and sexualised violence among young people.
Strengthen adults’ capacity (parents, caregivers, teachers and professionals) to identify and prevent risk factors linked to violence and harmful digital exposure.
Improve institutional coordination and long-term prevention strategies.
Promote healthy gender roles and respectful relationships based on consent.
Empower young people to become critical agents who challenge harmful norms and promote gender equality.

Key Actions

Development of capacity-building programmes for parents and educators.
Creation of emotional education toolkits for primary and secondary education.
Awareness campaigns encouraging young people to become critical agents for gender equality.
Promotion of safer digital environments and responsible use of online content.
Strengthening institutional and multi-stakeholder cooperation in violence prevention.