Founded by Joyce Short, the Consent Awareness Network (CAN) is made up of advocates, educators, survivors, legal professionals, community leaders, and allies who believe that consent is the foundation of justice, dignity, and human respect. Each person within CAN brings lived experience, professional expertise, or both, united by a shared commitment to rewriting the narratives that have historically silenced survivors and minimized harm. Together, we work to replace confusion with clarity, fear with understanding, and outdated myths with consent-centered truth. Our strength lies in the diversity of voices and disciplines we represent, and in the belief that meaningful change happens when people come together with integrity, courage, and care.
The people of CAN are essential because systems do not change on their own—people change them. By educating communities, informing policy, supporting survivors, and challenging harmful norms, CAN members serve as bridges between law, culture, and lived reality. We hold space for difficult conversations, advocate for autonomy and accountability, and model what consent-centered leadership looks like in practice. Our collective work ensures that consent is not treated as a technicality, but as a human right, and that justice and empowerment remain inseparable. CAN exists because the voices, wisdom, and commitment of its people make transformation possible.
