The tidal wave that was #MeToo forever changed the ways that
we view survivors. Conversations around consent, what to do
with those who cause harm, and power dynamics everywhere from
the classroom to the bedroom will never be the same. On
college campuses, these conversations have continued to evolve
but often with misguided efforts and a lack of clear guidance.
Where did these conversations even start, and how do those
working in education address them effectively?
In the industry-changing book The Sexual Misconduct Prevention
Guidebook: Consent and Conduct for Higher Education Campuses,
Dr. Laura McGuire blends their lived experience as a sexual
misconduct prevention expert in higher education and military
settings with their academic understanding of research-based
best practices to create the resource they wish they had when
they began their career. Going beyond Title IX compliance,
this guidebook walks professionals through the history of and
often overlooked needs and best practices for preventing and
responding to sexual misconduct on campuses and in the world
at large. From restorative justice in university settings to
ways to increase accessibility and inclusion, Dr. McGuire
pulls from scholarship, experience, and interviews with fellow
experts to build a resource that is much needed in the world
today.
With conversations about sexual violence, consent, and bodily
autonomy dominating national conversations, it can be easy to
get lost in the onslaught of well-intended but often poorly
executed messages.
Through an exploration of research, scholarly expertise, and
practical real-world application, we can better formulate an
understanding of what consent is, how we create consent
cultures, and the best path forward.
Creating Cultures of Consent is designed with both educators
and parents in mind. The tools highlighted throughout help
adults unlearn harmful narratives about consent, boundaries,
and relationships so that they can begin their work internally
through modeling and self-reflection. We then uncover what
consent truly is and is not, how culture plays an integral
role in interpersonal scripting, and how to teach consent as a
life skill inside and outside of the classroom. By integrating
the need for consent to be taught in schools and homes, we
build bridges between the spaces where children learn and
create alliances and the often daunting task of eradicating
rape culture.
This blended approach creates a guidebook that is unlike
anything else on the market today.
