Trojan Condoms consent campaign is helping college students have important conversations about sexual assault

Although women account for 18 percent of consumers, the condom industry’s marketing tends to focus on men — and that’s why Trojan’s consent campaign is so important. All genders need to be part of the ongoing conversation about what does and doesn’t constitute as consent, and the condom company has teamed up with Advocates For Youth to place the topic front and center.

The “Consent. Ask For It.” campaign is in its third year, and launching on over 100 college campuses across the nation during Sexual Assault Awareness month.

Advocates and events will focus on educating students about sexual assault prevention, and they’ll be handing out the most important swag ever: stickers and tattoos with messages including “It Takes Two to Say Yes” and “Does She Want to Go Home With You, or Does She Just Want to Go Home?”

Trojan condoms is on a national campaign promoting consent on college campuses https://t.co/VvPJ6rX5Pm pic.twitter.com/FHQbk6aQPh

— HuffPost Women (@HuffPostWomen) April 18, 2016

Students will also have the option to take an online pledge to be active participants in fighting rape culture on campus and spreading the message that “yes means yes.”

Approximately one third of college seniors have experienced unwanted sexual contact during their time on campus — and there’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what consent looks and sounds like.

For example, one third of men don’t understand that “sexual intercourse where one of the partners is pressured to give their consent” is rape.

"Honest sex education that includes information about bodily autonomy, mutual respect, and consent is, unfortunately, rare," Debra Hauser, president of Advocates for Youth, stated in a press release. "Yet these concepts are the cornerstones of all healthy relationships."

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We’re glad to see that Trojan is participating in such an important and necessary initiative — far too often, education about sexual assault is solely focused on women. We’re told all the things we must do in order to keep ourselves safe from sexual predators, but men are left out of the conversation. It sends the message that if a woman is assaulted, she’s somehow responsible. There’s a great deal of progress that still needs to be made, but this is a step in the right direction.