It’s time we talked

It’s time we talked is based on a sophisticated, scholarly and politically sensitive understanding of pornography, sexuality and related issues… It is a project at the leading edge of international community-based efforts to address the harms associated with children’s and young people’s exposure to and consumption of pornography.’

Michael Flood
Associate Professor
Queensland University of Technology

It’s time we talked is a violence prevention initiative that supports young people, parents, schools, government and the community sector to understand and address the influence of pornography.

It’s time we talked – which was originally called Reality & Risk: Pornography, young people and sexuality – grew out of Maree Crabbe’s work with young people in secondary schools and community settings, as Coordinator of Brophy’s Safety and Respect Programs at Brophy Family and Youth Services in Warrnambool, Australia.

‘I noticed that porn was increasingly playing a role in how young people learn about, think about and experience sexuality. The young people I worked with were keen to talk about porn, but the adults in their lives often had no idea about porn’s prevalence or influence – and those who did often didn’t feel equipped to have the conversations.’

Maree Crabbe
Director
It’s time we talked

These observations led to more questions, research, planning and writing. With significant philanthropic support, It’s time we talked began in 2009.

Our aims

By getting people talking about pornography and its impact on young people, It’s time we talked aims to:


  • encourage young people and the broader community to critique the messages about men, women and sex conveyed in mainstream pornography
  • promote understandings of gender and sex that are based on concepts such as mutual respect, equality, communication and consent
  • encourage and equip people across a broad range of levels of influence – from parents, teachers and youth workers to school and community leaders to senior government staff and politicians – to address the influence of pornography.

How we get people talking about porn and young people

Our work getting people talking falls into three broad areas:


  • Young people in schools – through the development of education resources for use in secondary schools, and for teacher training.
  • The broader public – through production of broadcast documentary films, Love & Sex in an Age of Pornography and The Porn Factor, written articles, television and radio interviews, and speaking events.
  • Government and community organisations – through advocacy and training with a wide range of individuals and organisations, raising awareness about the issues, and equipping people to respond. Our advocacy and training has been with people across the spectrum of levels of influence, from policy-makers and peak bodies to teachers, youth workers, police, doctors and others involved in direct service with young people.

It’s time we talked has the support
of the Sexual and Family Violence Division of Victoria Police

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