free – Consent Games

ADRIFT: Learning Consent Without the Trauma

An interview with the developers of the award winning consent game ADRIFT.

In 2017, we had the privilege of bringing one of our more successful games to life – in more ways than one. In ADRIFT, you play as a member of an interstellar salvage crew exploring an abandoned spaceship. Since then, the game has been played and downloaded thousands of times and in 2019, the MOD. museum at the University of South Australia built a life-size version for their patrons to play and experience. As our director, Drew Crecente, has said, one of the best parts of ADRIFT is that people can learn about consent without being traumatized in the process. What Life Love Publishing aims to do is publish pro-social games; these are games that look at positive and constructive messages, with no overt violent imagery.

We recently got to sit down with the original developers, Quinn Crossley (he/him and they/them) and Andrew Connell (he/him), and hear what they’ve been up to. The designers, former roommates, and good friends shared a bit about life post-ADRIFT and their tips for aspiring game developers.

Let’s Talk About Space, Baby

We started off by asking Connell and Crossley what drew them to our Non-Violent Gaming Competition, and if they had experience with prosocial gaming before. They both expressed that, while the term “prosocial gaming” was new to them, they had been working in game development for educational purposes already. The competition gave them a tangible goal to start working towards. “We have the skillset, we have the time . . . both of us want to make things that matter,” Connell said.

Now, why are we talking about consent on a spaceship? Crossley asserts that the choice to be on a spaceship, interacting with computers is very intentional. Who we interact with can influence the direction of a conversation. The conversation isn’t grounded in a familiar reality – unless you’ve been an explorer on an abandoned spaceship, of course. This allows for the discussion of consent to occur in a new light, “symbolism in a different context,” says Connell.

Can you successfully navigate the puzzles in *ADRIFT*?

The two had previously worked on a game called Managing at Home. You play as a cancer patient navigating the first three days of chemotherapy, from what food they eat to how they cope with the side effects. Crossley shared that the game involved a lot of consent-adjacent conversations, like bodily autonomy, decision making, and bigger questions on how we treat ourselves and others.

Bringing ADRIFT to Life

ADRIFT was published in September 2017 and as far as the games’ designers were concerned that was the end of the story. But then “. . . we just get this email at like 3 in the morning, on a random weekday from some museum in Australia . . . we didn’t think this project had any more happening with it!” Crossley shared. “We wanted to make a little change in the world and this got way more attention than we ever anticipated.” They both shared that they were used to working the other way around – an organization would commission them and outline exactly what they needed. This time, someone sought them out. “It was really validating in a way,” says Connell. ADRIFT has had much success, but originally placed fourth in the original competition. “To see that it’s gone this far is really surprising.”

Recreation of the consent game ADRIFT for the Hedonism exhibition at Australia's museum MOD. — *ADRIFT* brought to life at MOD.

The museum exhibit, entitled hedonism, launched in October 2019, exploring themes of healthy sexual relationships and consent. A life-size version of ADRIFT was born, relabeled as F. A. B. L. E.:

“Welcome, Operative, to F.A.B.L.E. – aka the Federated Association of Believers, Leaders, and Explorers. Your mission is simple: teleport on board this foreign spaceship and connect with the alien. As you explore this new world, there are protocols to follow. Make sure you check in with the alien as you go, follow the principles of consent, and achieve a two-way flow of information that will benefit both of our races.”
F.A.B.L.E.

On Being Game Developers

When we asked them what the best and worst parts of being a game developer were, Connell immediately answered, “all of it” while Crossley laughed in agreement. They both agreed that the feedback can be the best and most difficult part of being game developers. Crossley shares that he loves seeing how people emotionally react to their work, even if it’s frustration. It’s wonderful for them to see how games can create bonds between people. “It’s cool to put something out in the word for people to connect over, but at the same time it’s hard to manage all the feedback…You can’t make everyone happy,” he shares. “I like making people feel stuff but also…it’s hard.”

Connell agrees, “we like to make people feel stuff, but we don’t want people’s feedback to make us feel too many things back. It can feel great to help people but since you put so much time and energy into it, it can feel really bad when it doesn’t go well.”

“It’s vulnerable for sure, but it can be really rewarding. You have to harness a lot of strength to share those pieces of yourself,” Crossley adds.

Advice For New Developers

It can take time to develop that strength for newer developers. Crossley says that any time you put your art there, you are being vulnerable. Connell adds that it’s easy to feel vulnerable because you’re opening yourself up to criticism whenever you put yourself on the internet. The gaming industry can be a tough industry for newcomers.

The gaming industry can be a tough industry for newcomers . . . it can be easy to push yourself hard enough to burn out.
Andrew Connell and Quin Crossley, developers of ADRIFT

It can be a competitive fast-paced industry, and when you’re new, it can be easy to push yourself hard enough to burn out. People come in with a lot of passion, but it can come at the expense of their health. Crossley candidly shares that learning boundaries is one way to be successful in life, though it can be hard to apply those boundaries in a work setting.

What tips do these two have for people wanting to break into the industry? Make something and put it out there, says Connell. You’re a game developer by making games, not just thinking about them. It’s a competitive field where success is based on your improvement and your output. Get involved, go to game jams – there is more value in just doing what you love, rather than focusing on what looks good on your resume. However, he adds, work in the environment that works for you. Don’t force yourself to fit somewhere that creates stress for you.

You’re a game developer by making games, not just thinking about them.

“Perfect is the enemy of good,” Crossley adds. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing even if the outcome isn’t perfect. Successful designers don’t necessarily have the strongest skills, but they put themselves out there and aren’t afraid to jump onto projects and participate. Taking risks is a large part of moving forward in the gaming industry.

Where Are They Now?

“I miss you!” Crossley exclaimed, when asked if they were still working together. Life has changed for these two – distance, the pandemic, and general growth have led to them working in very different careers in different parts of the country, although working together again is certainly not out of the question. Neither is a sequel to ADRIFT!

“We played with that years ago…it is a possibility,” says Connell.

“It sounds like it’s out there, helping people and making an impact, so yeah I’d keep following it,” says Crossley.

Connell is currently working as a simulation engineer for an advanced learning company, and makes educational Youtube videos. He’s even created a learning course for Unity, a game development engine. His long-term goal is to have a life that lets him create in a healthy way – “I’m finally getting to the stage of making things for me, making things that make people feel something, and appeal to me on a deeper level.”

Crossley did a couple of museum projects, and even developed some games for PBS Kids. They took a break during the COVID-19 pandemic and worked as a technical writer in the corporate world. Even more exciting, he is currently traveling and aspires to visit all 50 states. He’s already visited at least 35 with his dog. Crossley and Connell are dreaming of reuniting in Yellowstone, where they can go wolf-watching. As they work in their new roles and make plans to reunite, they can feel confident that somebody, somewhere is learning about the meaning and importance of consent through the clever little game they created.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play now	Play in your browser or download from the AppStore	jag.itch.io/adrift
Development	Quinn Crossley and Andrew Connell
Produced by	Jennifer Ann’s Group	@stopTDV (Mastodon)
Published by	Life Love Publishing	@LifeLovePublish (Mastodon)
RightRating™	Everyone	No ads. No in-app purchases. No loot boxes. No privacy tracking.

Serious Video Games Helping to Tackle Serious Issues

Grace’s Diary is a great example of how intentionally designed video games can be effective at addressing serious issues.

Video games have been found effective at raising awareness and promoting violence prevention.

*Grace’s Diary* has clearly impacted many adolescents who have played it.

“When Grace’s mother tells her to get back in the car… and to not bother telling Natalie’s mother, I was absolutely appalled.”

“By the end I got to really despise Natalie’s boyfriend.”

“...this actually happens, and makes it so much more terrible…”

A broken phone is just one reminder of abusive behavior in *Grace’s Diary*.

These are just some of the comments from players of a game called Grace’s Diary. Unlike many of the more mainstream games, Grace’s Diary doesn’t feature mining, materials, shooting, or random dance moves. Instead, Grace’s Diary follows the protagonist, Grace, as she reflects on and tries to speak with her friend Natalie about Natalie’s relationship with her abusive boyfriend, Ken.

Real quotes from players:

“This game will probably be so helpful for me and my friends later on. I just hope that won’t happen to any of us.”

“…we know or will know a Natalie at some point in our lives, or are/will become a Natalie ourselves.”

“…getting the message out… that violent and controlling relationships are not normal or acceptable is fundamentally important.”

Grace sharing the National Dating Abuse Helpline number with her friend Natalie.

An initiative of the non-profit Jennifer Ann’s Group, Grace’s Diary is one of their many games which are targeted at informing and educating players around issues related to abusive dating behavior. Although most of the group’s serious video games address teen dating violence (TDV), they also cover related subjects like consent, healthy relationships, and the impact of peer pressure and social media.

While Natalie’s story is revealed through a series of observations, dialogue choices and point-and-click-puzzles, the charity is not limited to any one set approach and the games they publish tackle the issues from a variety of genres including dating-sims, lo-fi RPGs, persuasive art, and escape-the-room simulators. Important exceptions however are first-person-shooter and fighting games, which run counter to the non-violent conversation Jennifer Ann’s Group is trying to promote.

Grace writes memos in her diary throughout the game.

With a number of recent studies highlighting the pressing concern of TDV, as well as the difficulties educational institutions have had in successfully addressing it, TDV video games are seen by the group as an effective tool to help tackle the shortfall.

“Abusive dating behaviour is a nuanced and sensitive subject,” Drew Crecente, founder and executive director of Jennifer Ann’s Group explains. “What the research has shown is that traditional learning methods alone aren’t sufficient to address it. Adolescents often don’t feel comfortable discussing dating – especially dating abuse – with their parents, let alone with teachers; if we can’t get the conversation started then raising awareness and promoting prevention is incredibly difficult.”

Lack of Awareness is a Critical Problem

Lack of awareness around the problem is a key issue, with one parental survey finding that 81% of participants either didn’t believe TDV was an issue, or admitting that they didn’t know it was an issue (Women’s Health, 2004). This is despite another study concluding that over 40% of U.S. students have been in an abusive relationship by the time they graduate from college, with nearly 1.5 million high school students physically abused by a dating partner every year (Forke, et al., 2008).

The challenges with tackling abusive dating behaviours unfortunately don’t stop there. Another study found that among teens who had been in an abusive relationship, only 32% confided in a parent. Of those that confided, 78% then went on to stay in the relationship despite the advice of their parent (Liz Claiborne Inc., 2009).

If you play *Grace’s Diary*, be aware that there are three possible endings.

For Educators

As for addressing the issue in a traditional educational setting, fewer than half of state schools in the U.S. are either required or encouraged to include TDV in their curriculum. In addition, even in those states where legislation has been passed requiring the development of safety plans, enforcement of protective orders, and education of students, a lack of funding has proved an issue for some school districts with implementation of these measures hindered as a result.

Even in school systems which have been able to implement TDV programs the results have been disappointing, with a recent review concluding that they were not affecting “to a significant extent” TDV perpetration and victimisation behaviours (De La Rue, et al. 2016).

This is where video games come in. By championing games that explore and dissect abusive dating behaviours, and making them free and readily available, Jennifer Ann’s Group works to draw on some of the powerful features of gaming to turn them to their advantage.

“Gaming plays a significant role in many teenagers’ lives,” says Drew, “and we’ve found that by tapping into that we can effectively help guide and nurture prosocial behaviour. Video games are engaging, they enable players to explore and progress at their own pace, and they present scenarios in a way that is contextually interesting and highly relatable. These are qualities that any educational resource should aspire to and is an objective we thought worth pursuing. The research around TDV video games validates this stance and by providing these as free resources for schools and classrooms we can help encourage TDV programs where there previously weren’t any, as well as strengthen those that already exist.”

Studies investigating the results of TDV video games on educational development have confirmed that compared to control groups TDV game players show a significant improvement in attitude relating to relationship abuse and gender norms, with one study concluding that TDV players were “less accepting of angry behaviours” in relationships compared to control players (Jacobs, 2017).

For Parents Too

The benefits of TDV video games aren’t just limited to the classroom either. Part of the concept that Jennifer Ann’s Group promotes is the ability to nurture and encourage conversations in the home as well.

*Grace’s Diary* challenges game players to “make the call” in this award winning game

“As a parent it can be very awkward trying to start conversations about abusive dating behaviour; even harder than some of the other more well-known ‘difficult talks’ like alcohol, drugs, and sex,” says Drew. “To have that kind of conversation, and at the young ages that we’re now finding it’s required, it can be tough for a parent to even know where to begin.

“With TDV games, parents can first play through a game themselves, get their own education around the subject, then introduce their child to the same game. The dynamic of the conversation subsequently changes. For the child, it doesn’t feel like it’s a talk focused on them and their behavior but instead a talk about the characters and actions in the game; that change in perspective removes a lot of the pressure. This makes it easier for parents and their kids to focus on the problematic issues we are addressing through these games and from there we can encourage a real, constructive dialogue.”

Even if parents aren’t yet ready to engage, if a child is going through their own personal experience of TDV or abuse the games are still beneficial. By demonstrating that what they’re facing is not an isolated issue affecting them and them alone, and that the behaviour is neither healthy nor acceptable, it can help them to understand that they are not powerless in the face of it.

And for Teens

For teenagers who have not experienced TDV or other abusive dating behaviours (equal opportunity problems which affect adolescents regardless of gender, socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, or sexuality) it also helps reduce the chance they ever will.

A poster in Grace’s Diary includes ten warning signs of an abusive relationship

Play now	Download for Windows	jag.itch.io/graces-diary
Development	GP Touch	@himatako (Twitter)
Produced by	Jennifer Ann’s Group	@stopTDV (Mastodon)
Published by	Life Love Publishing	@LifeLovePublish (Mastodon)
RightRating™	Everyone	No ads. No in-app purchases. No loot boxes. No privacy tracking.

* If you or anyone you know is a victim of abusive dating behaviour, at any time, it is urged you seek help at the earliest opportunity. In the U.S., those needing assistance can contact the National Dating Violence Helpline at 1-866-331-9474. February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

A video game about consent: Crossing Boundaries

Crossing Boundaries is a travel game for teenagers

When you’re trying to properly teach consent it becomes a little difficult to get the point across without using some form of media to help you. The games produced by Jennifer Ann’s Group are great for forming an easy, and open, source of communication about consent for kids and young adults. Today we will be looking at Crossing Boundaries, a game for teenagers that can also be quite resourceful for college-age students. The game takes you through quite a few situations in which you learn about different approaches to many situations and the various ways that consent is important.

Crossing Boundaries combines a travel game with important scenarios about consent.

Travelling the World

Crossing Boundaries is all about three friends who recently got out of school. To celebrate this they have saved up some money and decided to travel the world together. The two characters Eva and Alice bring along their friend Joe who doesn’t always think his decisions through. Thanks to Joe, and missing their plane early on, the friends get into quite a bit of trouble on their adventure across the world. The game also incorporates a cute mini-game with some fun mechanics to drive home the themes of consent even more throughout the game.

“Snog a Frog” is the game-within-a-game you will play along with the game’s characters

Even if it’s something like trying to force someone to try a new food, “no means no!”

My very favorite thing about Crossing Boundaries is that it’s about more than just sexual consent. It delves into the fact that every person has their own will and no one has a right to try and go against it. One of the main driving points that popped up in the game is that you can’t make choices for another person’s body. For example, Joe decides on his own to sign his friends up for a perfume testing project that could potentially harm them, because “there weren’t many spots left.” As the game clearly shows, the issue of consent extends beyond the realm of dating and sex to include anything that affects your personal space, will, or body.

The game also had choices you could make for each situation that popped up. There were multiple choices to each situation and it’s up to you to choose how you react. It presented the fact that every circumstance has multiple paths you can follow, with multiple positive reactions to choose from. It also showed that standing up to someone may not always be as well received as you hope.

Humans are complicated in their emotions and when they are put into an uncomfortable situation they may not be thinking straight or know how to properly react to someone that’s trying to pressure them. The game shows Joe’s growth and through his growth shows how positive actions can affect those around you, helping them become better people.

You Can’t Script a Real Situation

I really think that Crossing Boundaries helps prove the point that there’s not always one way to react to a situation. Each problem you encounter in life is unique and you will have to react in a way you feel comfortable with. The game also makes a point that just because someone doesn’t say no or run away, that isn’t ground for assuming they’re okay with a situation. All in all, everyone has a right to decide what they feel comfortable with doing in their life. Even if it’s something like trying to force someone to try a new food, “no means no!”

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play Crossing Boundaries

Developed by: Testudo Games
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Rated 12+

More information about Stuck in a Dark Place  
► Get Crossing Boundaries on the iTunes Store  
► Crossing Boundaries available at Amazon 
► Play Crossing Boundaries in your browser  
► Watch a video trailer about Crossing Boundaries

ADRIFT on iOS Makes Learning About Trust and Consent Easy

ADRIFT is a sci-fi adventure that is both engaging and entertaining for kids of all ages.

ADRIFT: a game about consent, is a sci-fi adventure that is both engaging and entertaining for kids of all ages. The lessons in the game are presented in a way that people from almost any age group can learn the importance of consent. This short, but educational, game is great for a class project about consent beginning with elementary school children without having to directly speak to them about sex. Let’s talk about the ways ADRIFT makes learning about consent easy for all ages on IOS devices.

Listening To Your Partner

One of the most important lessons that are brought up in ADRIFT is the importance of listening and communicating with your partner about what you are both feeling. Many times in this game the in-game computer that the player is interacting with will let you know what actions you can take in order to escape the failing space station; it’s up to you whether you listen or not. If you decide to listen to your partner then you will end up with the good ending but if you don’t choose to listen to your partner the ending will be bad and will leave the main character filled with guilt.

If you decide to listen to your partner then you will end up with the good ending but if you don’t . . .

Part of this experience is trusting the computer “character” to correctly show you how to proceed in the game without doing anything that would harm them. For example, if you ignore the computer’s instructions and power the wrong part of the ship then the computer will open the door – but will also experience a great deal of “pain.” This also lessens the computer’s ability to make the last part of your escape easy by providing a lighted path through a dark room. This reminds the player that consent is not limited to romantic relationships but applies to friendships as well. ADRIFT helps teach children to respect their peers at a fundamental level and to use these skills to effectively communicate their own needs to others.

. . . consent is not limited to romantic relationships but applies to friendships as well . . .

The game is also easily accessible to parents of children who want to start teaching their child about consent. The game is a free download in the iOS App Store making it very easy for anyone who wants to try ADRIFT out. The game also doesn’t take up a ton of space making it perfect to fit on iOS devices with smaller storage space. We do recommend that your child have a decent amount of basic reading skills to really enjoy the game as the story is text-based instead of being voiced-over.

ADRIFT in Real Life

Students: although in the real world you’re likely not going to get trapped in a space station with a talking computer (at least not yet!) but you might be in a project with a friend who has certain needs that are different from yours. By learning to understand each other’s needs and to respect each other’s boundaries students will be better prepared to handle the trials and temptations they might confront in adolescence through peer pressure, romantic relationships, and other situations impacting consent.

Educators: ADRIFT is also a great way to easily introduce an older classroom to the topic of consent without beginning with some of the more serious aspects of consent. This affords educators the opportunity to gradually and organically work with their students on the fundamental issues about consent before moving onto some of its more serious applications like dating abuse. Educators will also appreciate that the game’s publisher, nonprofit charity Jennifer Ann’s Group, has made this game 100% free to provide a free resource to teachers in order to encourage classroom use of this consent game.

Parents: as public discourse about consent becomes more mainstream parents are becoming increasingly aware of the need to talk with their children about consent from an early age. ADRIFT offers a perfect way to begin that first conversation with their child because of the child-friendly treatment of consent in this clever innovative game. ADRIFT is rated as appropriate for players ages 4+.

Developed by: Quinn Crossley and Andrew Connell
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Rated 4+

More information about ADRIFT 
► ADRIFT: a game about consent, on the iTunes Store 
► Play ADRIFT: a game about consent, in your browser 
► Watch a video trailer about ADRIFT: a game about consent

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Rispek Danis (the Respect Dance) is a Game About Consent

Rispek Danis presents healthy relationship habits to the Bislama speaking community through a culturally relevant video game.

Rispek Danis is a game made by Jennifer Ann’s Group in collaboration with World Vision Vanuatu. This game takes a culturally relatable approach to presenting healthy relationship habits to the Bislama speaking community (Bislama is the primary language of Vanuatu).

The game is simple to use and can run on older smartphones thanks to its limited graphical demands. Although Rispek Danis is not in English even non-native speakers can understand the simple steps this game lays out. The game is available for free through the Google Play store and will only take up around 30mbs of space to fully install on your tablet or smart device.

Rispek Danis was developed collaboratively between World Vision Vanuatu and Jennifer Ann’s Group to produce a culturally relevant video game intended to teach young people about the meaning and importance of consent.

Gameplay

Rispek Danis is a simple-to-play game consisting of small puzzles challenging players to select the proper order of steps. To win the game you have to correctly cards in the proper order in which you should approach your partner and if you choose wrong then you will have to start the process over again. If you choose right though you can move on to the next level.

The game is the perfect length to inject into a class covering the concepts of healthy dating relationships.

The game is very simple and easy to understand making it a wonderful teaching tool for young people. Although the game’s intention is to teach young people about consent through an evolving relationship, the game keeps away from anything more physical than kissing giving it its all-ages feel. In fact, the game is the perfect length to inject into a class covering the concepts of healthy dating relationships.

If you play your cards right you might find yourself in a healthy relationship!

By learning to identify and respect boundaries we can start to build a world with healthier relationships.

To play the game you simply have to choose an avatar to represent you. After you have chosen your avatar the game will prompt you to click the look around button. Once this button is clicked you will be given a choice of partners to choose from, simply click the one you like to start the game. The game will set you up with a scenario in which you must properly approach your partner. At the bottom of the screen will be different actions for you to choose from. Simply click the action that best fits your stage of asking your partner to dance with you in order to reach Level Two.

Rispek Danis prompts the player to select their character’s gender as well as the gender of their crush — a helpful reminder that consent matters in all relationships regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

As the game goes on you will have more choices to choose from. Rispek Danis especially likes to push the concept of asking your partner for permission. If you don’t ask your partner for permission before performing an action then you fail the scenario. This really drives home the point that everyone is an individual with their own thoughts and feelings. You should never assume someone wants to do something based on how you feel, always check with your partner before doing any action that may involve them. The game also points out that if a partner is intoxicated they cannot give consent!

The final scene is on the beach — can you make it that far?

Rispek Danis spans four scenes, all of which are culturally relevant to life on Vanuatu!

Rispek Danis in Practice

The game is a short play that is easy to grasp. By following the lessons taught in the game we can teach young people to respect each other’s wishes at all times. Even if you have previously kissed your partner, you should never assume that they want physical affection just because you do.

By learning to identify and respect boundaries we can start to build a world with healthier relationships.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play Rispek Danis (the Respect Dance)

Developed by: Jared Sain
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group and World Vision Vanuatu
Price: Free
Language: Bislama
Age Rating: E for Everyone (ESRB)

More information about Rispek Danis  
► Rispek Danis available at Google Play 
► Play Rispek Danis in your browser  
► Read more about Rispek Danis

A Dance Game about Consent: “How to Blorrble-Blobble”

How to Blorrble-Blobble is a fun dance game that teaches young people about consent using dance as a metaphor!

Talking about sexual consent with youth can be a sticky topic for many parents because many teenagers or young adults are a bit averse to having any conversation involving sex with their parents! In most cases, teens will actually end up talking to their peers about sex more than they will with any adult. Through interactive games you are encouraging teens to learn about consent in private and at their own pace with the end result that they aren’t trying to awkwardly squirm their way out of a conversation with you!

The game uses dance, instead of sex, to teach about consent in a manner that is appropriate for all ages.

How to Blorrble-Blobble is the perfect game for late elementary and middle school age kids. This game forgoes the more mature elements of abusive relationships while still hitting the nail on the head through an entertaining and informative message.

Consent Taught as a Dance Lesson

How to Blorrble Blobble is an easy to load browser game that just about any computer out there can run. The controls are simple and it’s pretty hard to get them confused. The game plays out as a funky disco themed dance lesson with a strange name. The announcer or teacher for the game comes in because he wants to teach you the newest dance craze, the “Blorrble Blobble.” This perfectly parodies all the hot dance crazes young adults are getting into and opens up a familiar line of communication for the player.

The game goes on by giving the player a short tutorial of clicking a card to perform an action. Afterwards, the announcer will teach the player a pattern to click the cards in. They simply have to remember how to properly ask someone to dance. The program teaches them to always greet and ask permission before trying to dance with a partner. The game teaches you a step of the dance and then asks you to repeat the steps in order, starting from finding a partner on the dance floor and introducing yourself.

The game throws in a few curve balls by having the other dancers say no. At this point, the game explains that it is best to leave and that sometimes someone who is already dancing with you can still change their mind. The game even has a test to see if the player will dance with their partner after they have seen they are intoxicated. At the end of it all, the player will have to go through the whole dance while watching out for signs that the other dancers might be changing their mind about the situation.

Real World Usage of this Consent Game

The game teaches about consent in a very simple and easy to understand way with this overarching theme: Don’t assume someone wants to have sex with you! How to Blorrble-Blobble also makes the important point that even though someone is confident at the beginning stages of intimacy, they may change their mind as things progress to more serious deeds.

The games’ host (Orca!) even explains the fact that intoxicated dancers aren’t able to fully give consent and are just best left alone. Consent is very easy to learn and if the actions in this game are followed and understood you will have a perfect example of how to treat your next partner — or the one you are currently with — during times of intimacy.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play How to Blorrble-Blobble

Developed by: Jared Sain
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Appropriate for all ages

More information about Rispek Danis  
► Play How to Blorrble-Blobble in your browser  
► Helpful information about consent

Stuck in a Dark Place: a Serious Game About Consent

Stuck in a Dark Place is a serious game about consent that covers a wide range of scenarios examining the importance of consent.

I truly feel like games can be a great educational tool that can transcend many boundaries. Often times, games can present a situation much better than verbal storytelling can. With the game “Stuck in a Dark Place”, you can truly get into the scenes shown making it a great tool for consent education. The game is great for high schoolers or talks about sexual consent at work or on college campuses. The game does contain some disturbing situations though, and you should check with the group you are presenting it to before playing the game in class or having them do so.

Stuck in a Dark Place allows players to customize their character – a helpful reminder that consent affects everybody. Players can also use the “content warning” filter to skip some of the more disturbing descriptions and depictions of sexual assault.

Getting Started With Stuck in a Dark Place

The game has a rather unusual start. You design a character by picking their skin and hair color and then learn that you’re in jail. It is quickly explained that you were a teacher who had a relationship with a student, your name is Chloe and you feel wrongly imprisoned. Chloe claims that it’s wrong to be in jail when the student consented to their relationship but so many men went free after harassing her. Her cellmate, Sonia decides to help her through her emotionally scarring memories by having her write about them.

This screenshot from Stuck in a Dark Place shows a subway rider who is being “groped” – just one depiction of nonconsensual sexual activity covered by this serious game.

The game consists of 8 chapters all covering different, but very real, situations where Chloe felt violated. As the story goes along, the situations that Chloe recall get more disturbing and paint a picture of what led her to eventually be imprisoned. The game will have you play two mini-games that help you etch out the words Chloe is using to convey her letters to the abusers. You will have to search for the right words in a puzzle or unscramble them to fill in the missing blanks. The game has a safe setting that you can select to skip some of the more graphic content, in case you feel uncomfortable with some of the serious situations shown.

Stuck in a Dark Place reminds players that “a stolen kiss isn’t romantic — it’s assault”

The game also features a lesson mode. This mode is great for using if you’re teaching a class about sexual abuse and consent. The mode will let you choose from one of the eight chapters and play through it without having to play the rest of the game. In lesson mode it still has the option to block out some of the more sensitive content in case your class is uncomfortable with the scenes. Each chapter has a different scenario that offers a great point for discussion on where a line should be drawn and encourages women (and men!) to speak up against abuse.

Players of Stuck in a Dark Place will solve several puzzles to proceed through its story.

Reoccurring Themes (Sensitive Material Warning)

While sexual abuse is very hard for many women and men to talk about, it’s a talk that has to happen to make progress. I was even able to relate to a few situations in the game personally.

Respecting consent is just as important in growing trust between people as is being there for them. Without listening to someone’s personal wishes and respecting their feelings, we are setting ourselves up to lose a potential partner or friend.

One of the chapters goes over a moment where Chloe had a boy walk up and kiss her. The boy had been following her around for a bit in school. Her friends, of course, blew it off because he was “cute.” I think this situation is one many young women can relate to and happens more often than people realize in school environments. A lot of our media makes it seem romantic to be spontaneous but the game does a great job at pointing out how a kiss without consent was not acceptable to Chloe when it happened to her.

The media makes it seem romantic to be spontaneous but the game does a great job pointing out how a kiss without consent is not acceptable in real life.

Stuck in a Dark Place also goes over workplace harassment. While the situation shown with Chloe is an extreme case of workplace harassment, it happens every day to many men and women. Oftentimes, a job can be the difference between having food for the week or your family going hungry. Many people in today’s economy have a huge fear of losing their job due to the overwhelming number of applicants in the job market. Thanks to that, abuse of power has become more common in the workplace. Abusive management will use this leverage to get away with many acts that are clearly inappropriate (and sometimes illegal). Often times, as shown with Chloe being an intern, they will target those with the greatest need for the job or are inexperienced.

Sonia provides guidance to Chloe – and players – about consent throughout the game.

The last two situations I want to cover both dealt with Chloe being raped. The first scenario shows Chloe being taken advantage of while she was too drunk to provide consent. The boy she had started dating saw that she couldn’t speak up and took her into the bushes to have sex. Later in her life Chloe has an abusive husband who incorrectly claims marriage provides eternal consent. Neither of these scenarios are consensual but in both situations Chloe falls into a victim-blaming mindset. Victim blaming is very common in these situations with many abuse victims feeling they should not speak up or should stay with the partner who has sexually assaulted them. Although these scenarios are difficult to stomach it’s important that people recognize that these nonconsensual acts are unfortunately common.

Getting Into a Better Place

The game does explain that what Chloe did with her student was wrong as well. It also shows that abuse by the men in her life eventually led her to take on an adolescent as a partner continuing the chain of broken consent.

More than anything though, the game showed Chloe’s path to hope for a better future. It constantly pushed the point that while it’s hard to fight back with these situations, there are many laws in place that we can use to protect us against abusers. The game wants you to know that you always have a right to push back against sexual assault and that while something as simple as a kiss may not be a big deal to others, what’s really important is how the situation makes you feel. Your body is your own don’t let anyone take advantage of it or make you feel like should just go with the flow. There is always help out there waiting for you.

You are not alone.

Stuck in a Dark Place covers a wide variety of scenarios about consent but is not appropriate for all ages.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play Stuck in a Dark Place, a serious game about consent

Developed by: Another Kind
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Teen

More information about Stuck in a Dark Place 

► Get Stuck in a Dark Place on the iTunes Store 

► Get Stuck in a Dark Place on Google Play

► Stuck in a Dark Place available at Amazon

► Play Stuck in a Dark Place in your browser 

► Watch a video trailer about Stuck in a Dark Place

For Sexual Assault Awareness Month a Video Game about Consent: ADRIFT

ADRIFT is a free game about consent appropriate for all ages.

Consent is something that comes in many different forms. It can be something as adult as sexual consent or simply respecting someone else’s personal space. No matter what though, when you ask to do something with someone, you should always have their consent. This can be a difficult concept to teach to children and you may not even know how to go about it successfully. This is where the game ADRIFT comes in to assist you when teaching younger children all about the do’s and don’ts of consent!

In ADRIFT the player plays as a space miner exploring an abandoned spaceship.

Playing ADRIFT

ADRIFT is a very simple game that can be easily understood by a child of reading age. The game has you play as an astronaut who is a member of a space salvage crew that encounters a derelict ship in deep space. You are tasked with retrieving the abandoned ship’s valuable artificial intelligence (AI). The game play takes place on the abandoned ship where you are completely alone aside from the AI who offers to guide you through the ship to safety. The only deal is you are going to have to listen to your newfound partner in order for the mission to go smoothly. The game has some puzzle aspects to it but they are completely simple as long as you are careful to read your partner’s instructions. If you try to rush through the game or wander off on your own then things might go badly.

The player must respect consent in order to successfully proceed.

The concept to make it to the end is easy. Just access the ship’s AI through the computer terminals found throughout the ship before every action. By doing this, you will learn the proper steps to take to get through the ship. If you don’t follow the directions properly your screen will blink red. The AI will also become less trusting of you the more you decide you want to do things on your own without checking with it for approval. It is very easy to look over some information, so be sure to have your little ones pay close attention to the AI as each line it says contains important information.

If you want to teach consent well, you can do two playthroughs. The first you can let your kids go through the game as they wish. This will show them that not respecting consent has consequences that might affect their relationships. The game helpfully provides a recap after the game ends that shows where consent was – and was not – followed during the game.

Afterwards, get them to play through again to positively show them the difference it makes when consent is respected. It makes the space miner’s job much easier and at the end they will also see that the AI has a much better attitude towards them.

The end-of-game summary will show you when you failed to properly respect consent

Real World Applications

The information presented in the game can be easily applied to many real world situations. For example, if a child has a friend and they ignore their friend’s wishes by playing tricks on them against their will that friend might eventually distance themselves from the child.

ADRIFT makes a point to show two paths that the player can choose with the ship’s AI. By simply listening to the AI’s wishes and respecting those wishes they forge a lasting friendship while successfully navigating the ship’s interior to escape and win the game.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play ADRIFT, a game about consent

Developed by: Quinn Crossley and Andrew Connell
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Rated 4+

More information about ADRIFT 
► Get ADRIFT on the iTunes Store 
► Play ADRIFT in your browser 
► Watch a video trailer about ADRIFT