Studies show most men struggle to understand how consent works, and without consent, any sexual act is violence. While 99.1% of sexual aggressors in Puerto Rico are men, most campaigns on this issue are directed toward victims (mostly women).

Recognizing this, "Children’s Books for Men" directly targeted and engaged men to show them that consent is easy to understand, using a medium synonymous with simplicity: children’s books.

Puerto Rico faces significant challenges with sexism and rigid gender norms, which often manifest in high rates of sexual violence where 99.1% of perpetrators are men. Most campaigns on this issue are directed towards victims (mostly women) and little has been done to prevent it by educating men. "El Vocero," a leading newspaper known for addressing women's issues, seized this moment of heightened awareness to initiate a paradigm shift.

Partnering with the National Network of Shelters for Women, the campaign aimed to reshape perceptions about consent, promoting respect and equality. This was especially pertinent in a culture where traditional gender roles often exacerbate misunderstandings about sexual consent.

Situation:

In Puerto Rico, where 99.1% of sexual assault perpetrators are men, educational campaigns typically target victims rather than addressing the root cause.

Brief:

Leverage El Vocero, one of Puerto Rico's premier media outlets, to shift focus away from victims and towards the perpetrators by educating them on consent.

Objective:

Educate men on the importance of consent, using a format that challenges and corrects their preconceived notions, reaching at least one-third of the male population on the island.

El Vocero, in partnership with the National Network of Women’s Shelters, launched "Children’s Books for Men," using the simple and direct language of children’s literature to educate men about consent. This innovative approach featured surprise book readings by children, cutting through complex adult biases with the clear voices of the youth.

Additionally, we impacted men directly across Puerto Rico by creating and distributing the Book of Consent for Men, an educational guide in the format of children’s books. It was distributed using the full power of our newspaper network: door-to-door, traffic lights, social media content targeted at men, and the newspaper’s website. The book could also be downloaded in e-book format on Amazon.

The concept of consent is remarkably simple, so much so that they are frequently taught to children through books like “Body Boundaries Make Me Stronger” and “Consent Ninja.” This simplicity belies the common but erroneous belief among many adult men that consent is a complex topic riddled with grey areas.

Recognizing this disconnect, our campaign undertook comprehensive research, including psychologist-led interviews with men from our target demographic to understand their perspectives on sexuality. These insights were instrumental in creating the content of our campaign, which was also validated by social workers within the National Network of Women’s Shelters.

Our call to action: “Consent is not that complicated – read our book today.”

Our campaign launched during Women’s History Month with a social media video featuring some of the real interviews with men interviewed during the research phase. These willing participants were featured in our launch content, speaking candidly to the camera on their confused views on consent. They were then taken to a surprise book reading, in which children confidently explained consent by reading from actual children’s books.

Along with the video, we launched “The Book of Consent for Men,” a simplified guide designed in the spirit of children’s books, which distilled the essence of consent into a simple format. The book was distributed using the newspaper’s robust network: door-to-door, traffic lights, targeted content, and on the newspaper’s website; striking a balance between wide accessibility and targeted calls-to-action directed at the male population. Male influencers and a strategic public relations effort further amplified the effort and encouraged positive conversations about the topic.

"Children’s Books for Men" not only addressed a critical societal issue with innovative and empathetic creativity but also sparked significant dialogue and change concerning consent, showcasing the profound impact that creative thinking can have on social education and behavioral change.

• Direct Target Reach: Less than a week after launching, the effort reached more than half of Puerto Rico’s male population.

• Site Traffic: the #1 most visited and shared content on the newspaper’s website.

• Response Rate: +123% increase in online conversations about consent.

• Brand Perception: +1.1M in earned media.

SOCIAL IMPACT:

• Just a few months after its launch, The Book of Consent for Men has already been used in consent workshops at one of Puerto Rico’s most important universities (Ana G. Mendez University).

• Puerto Rico’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has also distributed it as educational material for the male prison population.