Can we promise future generations a life free of sexual violence, in which their sexual wellbeing will be protected? Is this a promise we can keep?
As a sexual offences prosecutor, Katrina Marson works for an institution that can only respond, one case at a time, to sexual violence once the damage is already done. During a decade of looking back, she kept returning to a single question: what could have been done to prevent this?
In 2019 Katrina stepped out of the justice system to travel abroad on a Churchill Fellowship, where she witnessed first-hand the power of comprehensive relationships and sexuality education to safeguard sexual wellbeing and act as a protective factor against sexual violence. Combining her coalface experience in the criminal law with her international research on sex education, Marson’s perspective is unique, looking in two
directions at once.
Legitimate Sexpectations exposes the limits of the criminal justice system and the fault lines in our society when it comes to sex, sexuality, and relationships. Through storytelling that moves between heartbreak and hope, Marson makes the case for a cultural shift towards valuing sexual wellbeing and preventing sexual violence in the first place. In doing so, she calls on us all to play our part to ensure that people can expect sexual experiences that are not just free from violence, but far from violent.
‘Urgent, clear, and pragmatic. This book will help you cut through the chaos and confusion swirling around the “consent” conversation right now. It’s required reading — especially for parents and teachers — but I think young people will get a lot out of it too. From the classroom to the courtroom, Marson has heard and seen it all, and has crafted a fantastic resource that anyone can read and understand. It’s a rallying cry for us to stop failing our young people. It’s a beacon of hope for a brighter, safer, better future for all.’
BRI LEE, AUTHOR OF EGGSHELL SKULL
‘Beautifully told and realistic … Marson’s compelling argument builds to the realisation that as long as our collective fear allows us to remain gatekeepers of knowledge, we remain complicit in denying our young people healthy and fulfilling sexual lives.’
DR MELISSA KANG, FORMER ‘DOLLY DOCTOR’ AND CO-AUTHOR OF WELCOME TO CONSENT
‘This book made me mourn for all those who didn’t have the chance to read it, while simultaneously filling me with so much hope for those who get to … A guiding light for RSE, shining into the future our young people deserve.’
SAXON MULLINS, DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY AT RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY
‘Necessary and fascinating … Marson shows us how talking about our personal relationships, boundaries, and sex, from a younger age than you’d think, can protect all our kids, and lead to better relationships and a much safer adolescence.’
DAISY TURNBULL, EDUCATOR AND AUTHOR OF 50 QUESTIONS TO
ASK YOUR TEENS
‘This is Australia and it’s 2022. We can do better than replicating the same sex-ed curriculum we had as children. Imagine if comprehensive relationships and sexuality education (RSE) was implemented in all our schools — even adopted as our community’s way of thinking. What a gift we would be giving our children, affording them a healthier, safer, and more empowered future. RSE offers an opportunity for our kids to better understand themselves and their relationships with others. Here, in Legitimate Sexpectations, Marson offers a powerful roadmap forward that
speaks to the needs of our young people. Politicians and policy makers must take note.’
GABBIE STROUD, AUTHOR OF TEACHER
ADVOCATE FOR RELATIONSHIPS & SEXUALITY EDUCATION
Looking to a world where we act on the evidence and ensure all young people have access to the information and education they need – that they deserve – to lead fulfilling lives.
The head of Catholic Education Tasmania has argued that sexual consent education in schools is amoral and potentially harmful. Yet as @Marson_Katrina writes, many may consider such education as consistent with Catholic teachings.
