Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill on Oct. 1 by Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León that aims to prevent campus sexual assaults by educating high school students about affirmative consent, healthy dating relationships and the consequences of aggressive and violent sexual behavior.

The bill received bi-partisan support and applies to public school districts where high school students must take a health course to graduate. It is a follow-up to last year’s “Yes Means Yes” bill, which addressed the growing problem of sexual assault on college campuses. It required universities to adopt consistent survivor-centered sexual assault response policies and protocols that follow best practices and professional standards for prevention, access to resources and fair adjudication proceedings.

Between 1995 and 2013, women between 18-24 experienced the highest rate of rape and sexual assault. Of those attending college, 80 percent knew their assailants, according to representatives from de Leon’s office.

“If we want to prevent sexual assault, it’s important that we start early. This bill will ensure that discussions about healthy relationships and consent are taking place in high school, with young women and young men, so we can help establish boundaries of acceptable behavior, give students the skills they may need to navigate difficult situations, and prevent sexual assault before it occurs,” said Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, joint author of the bill and California Legislative Women’s Caucus chair.