To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:
WHEREAS sexual assault is one of the most underreported, pervasive and gender-based forms of violence in Ontario;
WHEREAS approximately one in three Canadian women over age 15 has experienced sexual assault, but only 6% of sexual assaults are reported to police;
WHEREAS a clear understanding of what consent entails is essential to prevent sexual assault, but less than half of Canadians understand the full meaning of consent and how to practice it;
WHEREAS young women between the ages of 12 and 34 are at the highest risk for sexual assault, and there is a sharp increase in cases of sexual violence during the first six weeks of the school year;
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, PETITION THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO AS FOLLOWS:
To pass the Consent Awareness Week Act, 2025 to declare the third week of September as Consent Awareness Week and facilitate expanded consent awareness education, programming and initiatives in Ontario schools, workplaces and across the province.