It’s here! Start Here campaign

Start Here is a national campaign by Active* Consent designed to equip young people with the skills and confidence to respond appropriately if a friend/peer discloses that they have been subjected to sexual violence or harassment.​

The campaign offers simple, clear disclosure tips that highlight the need to:​

Listen without judgment​

Respond with empathy​

Signpost to relevant support services​

Look after your own wellbeing​

Start Here will run for 6 weeks, beginning October 6th 2025.

All you need to launch the Start Here campaign is available in our campaign pack.

Download the Campaign Pack HERE

Start Here.

Listen to our students talk about the do’s and don’ts...

Listen to our students talk about the do’s and don’ts...

Do listen and let them know you believe them
Listen to our students talk about the do’s and don’ts...

Do ask “What do you need right now?”
Listen to our students talk about the do’s and don’ts...

Do ask “How can I help?”
Listen to our students talk about the do’s and don’ts...

Do look after yourself
Listen to our students talk about the do’s and don’ts...

Don’t ask questions like “Were you drunk?”
Listen to our students talk about the do’s and don’ts...

Don’t react in the moment
Listen to our students talk about the do’s and don’ts...

Don’t rush them into sharing anything they don’t want to
Listen to our students talk about the do’s and don’ts...

Don’t say “You have to report it!”

Want to test your knowledge? Take the Quiz!

Start Here - Do you know how to support a friend?

Take a few minutes to test your knowledge.

1 / 7

You’re having coffee with a friend when they say quietly, “Something happened to me last weekend... I didn’t want it to happen.”

How do you think you should respond?

2 / 7

Why should you avoid asking “Were you drunk?”

3 / 7

You want to be there for your friend but aren’t sure what they need or want.

Which phrase below could you use to let them know you’re there for them?

4 / 7

Your instinct is to comfort them by telling them what to do next — like reporting it immediately.

Can you think why they might not want to do that?

5 / 7

Your friend starts telling you what happened but stops halfway and says, “I can’t talk about this anymore right now.”

How do you respond?

6 / 7

You’ve just listened to a friend share their experience. They seem calmer, but you’re feeling drained.

What should you do next?

7 / 7

Your friend has just shared their experience with you. You’ve listened and let them know you believe them, but you’re not sure what to do next.

What’s the best step you can take?

Your score is

0%

Want to learn more?

Start Here, with our tips for receiving a disclosure.

Do…

Do listen and let them know you believe them
Opening up about an unwanted/non-consensual sexual experience is stressful. Let the person know you are listening, you believe them and will support them.

Do ask “What do you need right now?”
They might not know what they want to do right away, but what happens next needs to be their choice.

Do ask “How can I help?”
You could offer to find out about support services, like the ones on our ‘get help’ page, for when the person feels ready*.

Do look after yourself
Hearing about someone’s experience can be very difficult. Make time for your own self-care and wellbeing.

Don’t…

Don’t ask questions like “Were you drunk?/Are you sure?/ Why did you go there?
That sounds like you think it’s their fault. Try to listen without judgement.

Don’t react in the moment
Hearing about someone’s unwanted/non-consensual sexual experience can be upsetting – try to focus on their feelings, instead of your own.

Don’t rush them into sharing anything they don’t want to
They might not feel ready to tell you the whole story.

Don’t say “You have to report it!”
Pushing someone to take action they’re not ready to take can be disempowering and re-traumatising*.

*If the person disclosing is under 18, reporting is mandatory in Irish law.

“I Believe You”: Why your role hearing a disclosure matters

For survivors, the first experience of disclosure is so important. Getting a negative reaction from the person they tell can severely affect how they feel about what happened, and how they deal with the aftermath of the incident.

However, showing someone that you believe them and are there to support them can improve their experience dramatically, and have a positive impact on how they deal with what happened (like empowering them to report the incident).

“What do you want to do next?”: A national directory of support services for survivors

People who have been subjected to sexual violence and harassment have many different options for reporting the incident, as well as mental/physical health support services as they process their experience.

Visit our Help page for support services and helplines for survivors of sexual violence/harassment, and the people supporting them.

Build Your Knowledge: Take the Active* Consent eLearning module, Sexual Violence and Harassment; How To Support Yourself and Your Peers

Our “Start Here” disclosure tips give you basic language and information to support a friend, student or colleague who discloses to you.

If you want to learn more about this issue, take our Active* Consent eLearning module, Sexual Violence and Harassment: How to Support Yourself and Your Peers. This module introduces users to a more nuanced understanding of sexual violence, harassment and support services available to students who have had negative sexual experiences.

This module is free for anyone to access, and takes roughly 30-45 minutes to complete.

Learn about our eLearning Module

Video Resources

What do you want to do next - consent hub

Start Here - What Do You Want To Do Next?
take your time - consent hub

Start Here - Take Your Time
How can I help - consent hub

Start Here - How Can I Help?
I believe you - consent hub

Start Here - I Believe You

The Start Here Campaign Pack contains everything student leaders and staff will need to support the roll-out of the Start Here campaign for your college, institution or campus.

This awareness campaign includes:

  • Social media posts for your Instagram and TikTok
  • Digital content with a dedicated webpage
  • Start Here Cards that outline basic dos and don’ts on how to respond to disclosures
  • Access to Active* Consent’s e-learning module Sexual Violence and Harassment: How to Support Yourself and Your Peers

Download the Campaign Pack HERE

Where to get help

Find out how to report an incident or get support.

Find out more

What We Do

Active* Consent supports young people and those important to them (teachers, parents, college staff and policy makers) in building their knowledge of consent in collaboration with partners in the field.

Meet the team

Consent FAQ's

This is where we answer some of the most frequently asked questions we get about consent from the groups we work with – young people, educators/student leaders, and parents/caregivers.

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