A former Sydney school student has had an overwhelming response to an online petition calling for better and earlier sex and consent education in schools.

Chanel Contos, a former Kambala Girls’ School student, started the online petition in an effort to break the culture of sexual assault in schools.

Research Fellow and Lecturer at the Curtin School of Population Health, Dr Jacqueline Hendriks, told 6PR’s Steve Mills families and schools have a joint responsibility to educate young people about consent.

“Education around consent starts from a very young age, so it’s absolutely a conversation you can be having with your very young child,” she said.

“It’s around permission and being responsible and in charge of your own body, and being able to say no if you’re not happy with something.”

Dr Hendriks said people should not engage in a sexual encounter, unless it involves an enthusiastic “yes”.

“Every sexual partner needs to go into a encounter really looking at the body language, and making sure their partner is fully onboard with whatever they are doing,” she said.

“It’s really important young people understand that when they are intoxicated with drugs and alcohol, you lose that ability to give informed consent.”

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(Photo: iStock by Getty Images.)