Currently, consent is not a compulsory part of the New Zealand sexuality/health curriculum from years 9-13, it is only a suggested topic that falls under 'healthy relationships'. Many students over the years have called for this to change and to make consent education compulsory in schools but nothing has changed. By making consent a compulsory topic, schools will have better resources and training for this topic, allowing students to better understand such crucial information. Education Minister Hekia Parata said "consent education would not be compulsory and is best left to the family." In a perfect world this may be possible, but this isn't a perfect world. Many young people in Aotearoa don't have a safe place at home to receive this information or have families that are well equipped and knowledgeable to teach this topic to their tamariki. Approximately 1 in 5 New Zealand women experience a serious sexual assault. For some women, this happens more than once and young people are statistically at the highest risk of being sexually assaulted; the 16 – 24 year old age group is four times more likely to be sexually assaulted than any other age group. Secondary schools across Aotearoa would be the perfect place to educate the most vulnerable age group. It is important that young people hear this information and learn about consent. Making this topic compulsory ensures that young people across Aotearoa all receive education about consent and can create a safer future for all.