Europäische Jugendbildungs- und Jugendbegegnungsstätte Weimar

»Yes means Yes« is not enough

Target group: (young) adults
Time required: 2 hours – can also be extended to 4 – 6 hours (longer format: empowerment workshop for women or for all people affected by sexism)
Previous knowledge: Basic understanding of gender roles (everyday understanding is sufficient)

Background

»No means no« and »yes means yes« – various concepts have been developed in recent decades to prevent sexual violence and make consensual sex possible. The focus is often on communication: if we talk to each other in the »right« way, we seem to meet as equals, because everyone can just say what they want, right? But: despite consensus, there is a lot of pressure and the power structures in which we live are not undermined by a new way of communicating.

Procedure

In the workshop, we will look at the connections between prevailing gender relations and sexual violence. We will reflect on the power hierarchies that surround us and that we ourselves have internalized.

Aims

Participants develop a deeper understanding of how gender roles and discrimination work in a sexual context. They are empowered to take an analytical look at various power relations that normalize and enable transgressions and sexual violence. Participants are invited to reflect on what they themselves have learned about gender hierarchies and how these can be consciously viewed and dismantled.

The newly acquired background knowledge enables them to classify their own experiences in a more informed way: for example, they can recognize the position of power they themselves occupy, even if this is not their intention.
On the other hand, they are able to view the transgressions they have experienced in the context of social systems of domination and thus not blame themselves.

Notes

• This workshop can be held in German or English.
• It is offered also online.

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