Can we promise future generations a life free of sexual violence, in which their sexual wellbeing will be protected? Is this a promise we can keep?

As a sexual offences prosecutor, Katrina Marson works for an institution that can only respond, one case at a time, to sexual violence once the damage is already done. During a decade of looking back, she kept returning to a single question: what could have been done to prevent this?

In 2019 she stepped out of the justice system to travel abroad on a Churchill Fellowship, where she witnessed first-hand the power of comprehensive relationships and sexuality education to safeguard sexual wellbeing and act as a protective factor against sexual violence. Combining her coalface experience in the criminal law with her international research on sex education, Marson’s perspective is unique, looking in two directions at once.

Legitimate Sexpectations exposes the limits of the criminal justice system and the fault lines in our society when it comes to sex, sexuality, and relationships. Through storytelling that moves between heartbreak and hope, Marson makes the case for a cultural shift towards valuing sexual wellbeing and preventing sexual violence in the first place. In doing so, she calls on us all to play our part to ensure that people can expect sexual experiences that are not just free from violence, but far from violent.

‘Urgent, clear, and pragmatic. This book will help you cut through the chaos and confusion swirling around the “consent” conversation right now. It’s required reading — especially for parents and teachers — but I think young people will get a lot out of it too. From the classroom to the courtroom, Marson has heard and seen it all, and has crafted a fantastic resource that anyone can read and understand. It’s a rallying cry for us to stop failing our young people. It’s a beacon of hope for a brighter, safer, better future for all.’

BRI LEE, AUTHOR OF EGGSHELL SKULL