Parent Track

How to be an ally and help your children through a sexual assault

(All parents will attend the same 3 workshops)

Session 1

Aims and Perils of Parenting in an Age of Increased Reporting of Sexual Assault and Rape

Susan and Alex Prout, I Have The Right To

A 360 View and parents' perspective of supporting your child in survivorship; parenting as a sexual assault survivor; or parenting through the unthinkable – your child perpetrates/is accused of sexual assault.

Session 2

Consent and Beyond: Parenting Your Teenager in the Era of #MeToo
Shafia Zaloom

Adolescents are exposed to 14,000 references to sexuality a year (American Academy of Pediatrics). Do those references communicate healthy sexuality that is safe, responsible, pleasurable and grounded in authentic connection? Or do they communicate negative gender roles and dynamics, and emphasize performance sex? In a culture that prioritizes performance, depersonalizes relationships and normalizes porn, what does it mean to have "good" sex? And, how do parents talk to their teenagers about it?

Session 3

Navigating Relationships

Joshua Searle-White and Shayna Morrison

The best way to equip our students to navigate the challenges of relationships is to engage openly and thoughtfully in negotiating consent in our own lives. This workshop will give parents embodied practice in doing so, with humor, compassion, and an acknowledgement that relationship challenges are universal.