“All-round legend! I now have so much more to consider when working in Child Sexual Abuse prevention advocacy. It was a privilege to speak alongside her in Tasmania.”
Customer who purchased Legitimate Sexpectations
“Katrina knows what young people today need to hear, and how to speak so that they’ll listen. Her story-telling abilities create relevant, clever, and impactful points that stick long after the conversation ends. Her tailored wisdom hit exactly where it needed to for our college.”
Alex Aidt, student resident at Mannix College, Monash University
“The sex education most of us got in school probably got us to the point of not breaking the law, not having an unwanted child and not spreading communicable disease. Marson’s session helped to elucidate the obvious- that our sexual wellbeing is a core part of living a fulfilling life and ought to be so much more than simply avoiding danger. The vast majority of us know that no means no but what does the confusing mix of body language, metaphor and slang that is often used to initiate sexual encounters in the real world mean. Clearly this is more difficult to discern. Marson’s discussion struck at a major cultural issue we have as society- an aversion to discussing sex directly whether through awkwardness, fear of rejection or worry it will destroy a mood. If there’s one thing I took away from Marson’s session is that we need to be much better at communicating our sexual wants and listening to that of our partners if we are to have fulfilling sexual experiences. Marson also discussed relatable experiences in terms of being a bystander to sexual harm. In our society we teach children from a young age to keep themselves out of trouble and worry primarily about their own business so it is no surprise that many of us struggle to intervene when a potential act of sexual harm is occurring, especially when we do not know all the details. Marson powerfully makes the case for more and better education at a young age in this skill of active bystanding as well as many other areas of sexual education- too often we learn what we know about sex from brutal experiences of trial and error. Marson is an extremely eloquent speaker with immense knowledge of the subject area which helps massively in engaging people in what can otherwise be an uncomfortable or heavy topic.”
James Yorke, student resident at Mannix College, Monash University
“Driven by a passion to ensure that young people are provided with comprehensive relationships and sex education (RSE), Katrina is a brilliant communicator dedicated to reshaping the landscape for all young people. As one of our central keynote presenters at Propsych’s inaugural Relationships & Sexuality in Schools (RSIS) conference in 2023, Katrina has a remarkable ability to convey her research and advocate for change in a manner that is both informative and incredibly engaging. Her discussions are thought provoking and inspiring, reflecting her position at the forefront of RSE research and initiatives. We could not have asked for a more exceptional presentation.”
Paula Teggelove Founder & Director Propsych.
“I have heard Katrina deliver keynote addresses and in-depth panel discussions at several diverse national and international conferences. Audiences have included young people, medical and health professionals and academics, school teachers and educators, health promotion professionals and policy makers. Her ability to engage her audience is striking: she seamlessly weaves relatable, real-life stories with her in-depth understanding of the law and criminal justice system and her research into the evidence for the benefits of comprehensive sexuality and relationships education. Her narratives are captivating and thought-provoking and speak to the compelling need meet young people’s basic right to information that will promote their health and wellbeing.”
Dr Melissa Kang, Adolescent Health clinician and academic, author and medical writer for Dolly Doctor for 23 years.
“Katrina is an engaging and knowledgeable speaker. Her insights into the role that education can play in developing healthy relationships, respectful attitudes towards sexuality and sexual consent among young people, are both timely and prescient. Katrina’s professional background, training, and depth of experience make her a unique and authoritative voice in this sphere. She encouraged our staff to understand and respond to the importance of instilling the values and practices of safe and respectful relationships, particularly with women, in our students. We applaud Katrina’s expertise and passionate voice in the space of sex education.”
Dr Paul Hine, Principal of Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview
“Katrina was a powerful and motivating voice for our cohort of young, student leaders. She empowered her audience to contribute to an ongoing dialogue about how young people can be a voice for positive change in sex education and positive sex culture. The students left the talk keen to engage deeper with this important topic.”
James Hardiman, Dean of St Hilda’s College University of Melbourne
“Katrina spoke brilliantly to the Year 10 cohort of Cranbrook and Kincoppal Rose Bay about the issues of how sex education has been delivered and what they can do not only to avoid issues of sexual assault, but to ensure a healthy and positive relationship with sex, whenever they have it. When booking in a speaker for a school it can seem that you are walking a fine line between scaring teenagers about sex, or being too sex positive – Katrina walks that line perfectly and encourages communication, consent, and enjoyment for everyone, regardless of what their relationship with intimacy is now.
At the end of the session students walked away with great tools to use, effective strategies for enthusiastic consent, and more importantly, an understanding that respect and understanding go both ways. We will have Katrina speak to our students for many years to come, and encourage other schools to do so too.”
Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation & Academy at Cranbrook School
“Marson provides a voice of reason in this unnecessarily hyperbolic debate. The clarity of her research and communication gives me hope that eventually young people will get the education they deserve.”
Bri Lee, Author and Freelance Writer
“When it comes to the issue of sex and relationships education and the prevention of sexual violence, Katrina Marson has 360 vision, having worked as a sexual offences prosecutor, a sex and ethics educator and researcher. She is the go-to voice on the subject, her expertise and depth of subject-matter knowledge stand her apart from the pack.”
Nina Funnell, Multi-Walkley Award Winning Journalist and Let Her Speak Campaign Creator