Information and resources

Consent is about choice, respect and feeling safe to say yes - or no.

Consent means freely and voluntarily agreeing to something. It happens when everyone involved has the freedom, information and capacity to make their own choice - without pressure, fear, manipulation or coercion. Consent is important in sexual relationships, but it also matters when making decisions about your body, personal space, relationships, contraception, money, communication and everyday life.

In this fact sheet you'll learn:

1. The conditions of consent (what it is and what it's not)
2. Links to domestic and family violence
3. What healthy consent looks like

You don’t need to be a counsellor to help. Being present, listening without judgement and helping someone connect with support can make a difference.

Asking someone about suicide does not put the idea in their head. It can give them permission to talk openly about what they are experiencing.

In this fact sheet you'll learn how to:

1. Ask directly
2. Listen and take them seriously
3. What to say
4. Help keep them safe
5. Connect them with support
6. Remember your own wellbeing

Not all domestic abuse is physical, and some types of abuse can be hard to recognise. In fact, some people can live in an abusive relationship for years and not realise they’re experiencing abuse.

Coercive control is a type of domestic abuse that can be harder to identify than some other types of abuse. It refers to a pattern of behaviours used by an abuser to control their partner and create an uneven power dynamic. Coercive control generally involves manipulation and intimidation to make a victim scared, isolated, and dependent on the abuser.

Download this checklist to help identify the signs of coercive control.

Safety planning will look different in every situation.

It may be a plan to escape from a violent relationship or a plan for what to do if violence occurs. Each person needs to be the judge of what is safest and most realistic for them.

This fact sheet includes a comprehensive safety planning ideas checklist and detailed information on what to pack.