Ending Sexual Violence Hub
SYPTUAC PILOT PROJECTS
Image-based Autonomy: Creating Digital Upstanders was one of the 13 projects created as part of the Supporting Young People to Understand Affirmative Consent (SYPTUAC) Program. The SYPTUAC program aimed to empower and educate young people and their key influencers to strengthen their understanding of affirmative consent and healthy relationships.
Image-based Autonomy: Creating Digital Upstanders
Body Safety Australia continues to lead conversations around the role of digital techology as contributing factor to sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated against and between children and young people in Australia.
The Image-based Autonomy project aimed to capture young people’s experiences and perspectives around their use of digital technology, with a particular focus on image taking, sharing and editing.
The purpose of this project was to pilot effective approaches to meaningful online safety education, supporting young people to prevent and respond to image-based and deepfake abuse. The project used a co-production model to design and deliver workshops and accompanying resources that will empower young people and the adults around them to be upstanders for image-based autonomy.
Project context
Respectful Relationships education has made huge strides in supporting children and young people to understand their rights to their body. As we become increasingly online, it is crucial we extend those rights to a person’s image.
At Body Safety Australia, we have heard from schools and centres who are in states of distress about the use of ‘nudify’ apps to enact sexual violence against and between students. Where young people are using increasingly sophisticated technology to create deepfake graphic, violent and sexualised content of their peers. Where real-world harm has occurred online, and schools are ill-equipped to manage this new form of image-based abuse.
In this evolving landscape, we hope to push bodily autonomy conversations forward and strive for a world where image-based autonomy for all children and young people is a social norm.
Centre Against Sexual Assault Central Victoria
A collaborative education project between young people and project partners across the Macedon Ranges, working together to grow young people’s understanding of consent and how to build healthy relationships through a consent workshop and activities.
Drummond Street Services
A program that delivered engaging, community-based workshops designed to help young people, carers, and key workers understand Victoria’s affirmative consent reforms. Workshops were delivered in TAFEs, youth programs, community organisations, and adult migrant education settings.
Sexual Health Victoria
Online modules and interactive workshops for youth and community workers, to equip them with skills and resources for educating young people about affirmative consent, health relationships and sexual health.
