Public conversation has once again turned to sexual assault, consent, misogyny and respect. When these issues dominate headlines, many organisations feel the pressure to respond, but not always with clarity about what a useful response actually looks like.
For event organisers, schools, government teams and workplace leaders, this moment is not just about saying the right thing. It is a chance to create thoughtful, well-led conversations that help people better understand culture, responsibility, communication and healthy relationships.
At Saxton, we believe the right speaker can help an audience move beyond awareness alone. A strong session does not lecture people into agreement. It gives them a way into a difficult subject, with the right mix of lived experience, evidence, practical language and emotional intelligence.
Why this conversation matters now
When an issue returns to public view, there is often a rush to react. A panel gets assembled quickly. A wellbeing session is added to the agenda. A school or organisation decides it should "do something". The intention is usually good. The impact can vary.
That is because conversations about respectful relationships ask a lot of an audience. They can bring up grief, defensiveness, uncertainty, shame, confusion or urgency. They can also open the door to reflection, prevention and real culture change, if they are handled well.
Why does this matter for events? Because a live audience creates something digital content often cannot. It creates shared attention. People hear the same story, sit with the same tension and leave with a common reference point. For topics this sensitive, that kind of collective experience matters.
What the right speaker can do
The best speaker for this topic is not always the most famous person or the loudest voice. It is the person whose experience, expertise and delivery fit the room.
In practice, that might mean:
- A survivor-advocate who can connect personal experience to systems change
- A legal or policy expert who can explain where reform matters most
- A psychologist who can give audiences better language for communication, boundaries and behaviour
- A speaker on masculinity, identity or inclusion who can help unpack the norms that shape culture early
Different audiences need different entry points. A school community may need age-appropriate education and prevention. A corporate audience may need a sharper conversation about workplace culture, accountability and bystander behaviour. A government audience may need lived experience paired with policy depth.
That is why matching the right voice to the moment matters so much.
12 speakers who can help lead this conversation
Below are 12 Saxton speakers who can bring depth, care and credibility to conversations about respect, consent, healthy relationships and culture.
For advocacy, reform and survivor-led change
- Tarang Chawla brings a powerful perspective on gender equality, men’s violence against women and mental health. His advocacy work and policy experience make him a strong fit for audiences looking to understand not just the emotional weight of this issue, but also the broader systems around it.
- Chanel Contos is one of the most recognised voices in Australia’s consent education movement. For school communities, youth-focused forums and organisations wanting to engage with the national conversation on consent in a grounded way, she brings both urgency and clarity.
- Katrina Marson offers a rare combination of criminal law, research and education advocacy. Her work on relationships and sexuality education makes her especially valuable for schools, universities, policymakers and leadership audiences that want substance, not slogans.
- Harrison James speaks from lived experience with a strong focus on trauma-informed advocacy, agency and reform. He can help audiences understand how personal harm intersects with law, accountability and the long work of change.
For healthier masculinity and better conversations with men
- If your audience is asking how to engage men and boys more effectively, Dr Zac Seidler is a compelling choice. His work in men’s mental health and domestic violence prevention helps audiences move past clichés and into more useful conversations about behaviour, vulnerability and culture.
- Jeremy Macvean brings a practical and engaging lens to workplace gender equity, fatherhood and shifting gender norms. He is well suited to organisations that want to explore how expectations at home and work shape respect, equality and everyday behaviour.
- Mitch Brown offers an important perspective on positive masculinity, inclusion and authenticity. His story can help audiences think differently about the pressures men face, the value of vulnerability and the kind of culture that allows people to show up honestly.
- Lachlan Stuart can contribute to this conversation through the lens of resilience, emotional endurance and identity. For audiences exploring healthier models of leadership and manhood, his work can open a practical conversation about what strength actually looks like.
For communication, relationships and real-world tools
- Sabina Read is an excellent choice when the goal is to make a difficult topic feel accessible, practical and human. As a psychologist and communications specialist, she helps audiences think more clearly about relationships, behaviour, boundaries and the conversations many people avoid until they become problems.
- Dr Emily Musgrove adds another valuable perspective, especially for audiences that would benefit from a clinical, psychologically grounded conversation about stress, belonging, and the emotional patterns that shape how people relate to one another. She is well suited to workplaces and leadership audiences that want practical language and reflective tools, not just awareness.
For inclusion, belonging and culture change
- Chyloe Kurdas brings deep insight into inclusion, belonging and institutional change. She is especially relevant for organisations that want to connect respectful relationships to the bigger culture questions underneath them: who belongs, who is heard, who is supported and what allyship looks like in practice.
- Prabha Nandagopal is a strong fit for organisations that want to address respectful relationships through the lens of workplace culture, safety and accountability. With a background in human rights, discrimination law and major workplace cultural reviews, she brings sharp insight into how leaders can move beyond compliance and build environments that are genuinely safe, respectful and inclusive.
One topic, different rooms
One of the biggest mistakes organisations make is assuming this subject should sound the same everywhere. It should not.
A school audience may need a speaker who can talk about consent education, peer culture and respect in a way that is age-appropriate and constructive. A corporate audience may need a more mature conversation about workplace norms, communication, inclusion and leadership responsibility. Government and civic audiences may need speakers who can bridge lived experience, policy and public accountability.
The thread connecting all of them is this: audiences respond best when the session is specific, relevant and well matched to their context.
A better event question to ask
Instead of asking, "Who can speak on respectful relationships?", a better question is, "What does this audience most need to understand, feel or do differently after the session?"
That shift changes everything. It helps determine whether you need a keynote, panel, facilitated conversation or education-focused session. It also helps narrow the speaker brief from a broad social issue to a sharper event outcome.
At Saxton, that is where we do our best work. We help clients shape the brief, assess the room and find a speaker who can meet the moment with care and credibility.
The takeaway
Respectful relationships are not a side topic. They are a culture topic, a leadership topic and a human topic. If your audience is ready for a more meaningful conversation, now is the right time to bring the right voice into the room. Speak with Saxton early to find the best fit for your event, audience and goals.
