The Wire

The NSW Lower House has passed a new Affirmative Consent law in a welcome move by sexual assault survivors and advocates. The new reforms will require alleged perpetrators to demonstrate that actions were taken to obtain consent from the other person, and means it will no longer be acceptable to assume that consent was granted. Experts say the reforms are a long time coming, and challenge patriarchal norms which question the behaviour of the victim rather than the actions of the perpetrator.