Expect Respect!

Expect Respect! was created as an innovative early intervention project promoting safe and respectful relationships by raising awareness of sexual violence and the law, with a focus on the legal meaning of consent.

The project was developed in 2010 with collaboration with the youth-led Act Now Theatre for Social Change and with the assistance of funding from the Office for the Status of Women.

Featuring roleplays of real life scenarios performed by young actors the workshops were highly interactive and facilitated by Commission staff experienced in providing legal education to young people.

From May 2010 until March 2012, more than 4000 young people in Adelaide and regional centres across South Australia participated in this exciting and interactive legal education program.

Benefits of the project

There are a number of enduring benefits resulting from Expect Respect including:

• An improved understanding of what constitutes rape, sexual assault and family violence, and that these offences can result in long term effects for victims and attract serious legal consequences for offenders.
• The strengthening of attitudes and behaviours that support respectful relationships.
• Increased awareness of relationship and gender violence among young people.
• Increased willingness to speak out, act on and report relationship and gender violence.
• The fostering of a culture that does not tolerate violence and supports victims.
• Increased ability to appropriately handle conflict and make positive choices.

Feedback from workshops

“The workshop was great, we have never seen something like this in the school!”

- Student, Seaview High School

“I can’t think of any other program that is able to connect with young people and communicate such important messages in the way that Expect Respect! does.”

- Teacher, Port Augusta High School

“This program should be taken to every school. Every kid should have access to the information provided by the workshop. It deals with such complex issues in an easy to understand and engaging manner.”

- Police Officer, Mount Gambier

The work of Expect Respect! is continued in the Commission’s new community legal education resource Trusted Moments, a short film that facilitates discussion and learning about the law of consent and the importance of respectful relationships.

For information about our current legal education programs please see our Youth Legal Education page or contact Ella Pak Poy, Legal Education Officer,  on (08) 8463 3647 or email  Ella.PakPoy@sa.gov.au