Warning: this episode of POPSUGAR’s Love Rants discusses sexual assault and maybe be triggering for some listeners.

In this episode of POPSUGAR’s Love Rants, Melissa Mason sits down with consent and sexual education advocate Chanel Contos as they unpack the nuances and considerations around those topics that governments and schools all too often miss.

Contos' widespread movement pushing for holistic sexual education took off after she posted a simple question on her Instagram story: have you or has someone you know been sexually assaulted by someone who attended an all-boys Sydney private school? Within 24 hours, over 200 people replied ‘Yes’.

From there, Contos launched her website — Teach Us Consent — which advocates for holistic consent and sex education. In February of last year, the initiative smashed a huge milestone, with Ministers of Education nationwide committing to mandating "holistic and age-appropriate consent education in every school, every year, from foundation until Year 10", starting this year.

But, Contos says we still have a long way to go. In this episode, her and Mel discuss:

• The crucial difference between ‘no means no’ and ‘only yes means yes’
• Where government and schools are falling short around consent and sexual education
• How lessons around consent have been taught over time
• Why enthusiastic consent should be the end goal

This podcast is presented by POPSUGAR Australia and is sponsored by Youly, a platform exclusively for women that says “Buck that!” to the traditional healthcare system. Get online and get faster access to women’s health and medicine by visiting Youly’s website.

Follow POPSUGAR Australia, Melissa Mason and Chanel Contos on Instagram.

POPSUGAR Australia and Melissa Mason acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

If this article brings up any issues for you or anyone you know, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) — the National Sexual Assault, domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service.

Producer: Forbes Street Studios