What Is Sexual Health: Consent

What Is Sexual Health: Consent

Consent is an agreement between participants to engage in sexual activity. Consent should be clearly and freely communicated. A verbal and affirmative expression of consent can help both you and your partner to understand and respect each other’s boundaries.

 

What Is Consent?

Consent can appear in many forms, and many people have different ways of communicating it with their partners. However, the main take-away here is that there should always be a mutual understanding of agreement between the people involved, if there isn’t, it’s not consensual.

A concept that’s become mainstream, especially with the increasing awareness of sexual violence in society, is the act of enthusiastic consent. The main idea of enthusiastic consent is to look for the presence of a “yes”, verbal and non-verbal, rather than the absence of a “no”.

This can come in the form of talking it out beforehand, making “sexy eyes” across the table that only the two of you are privy to, or body responsiveness to touches – at the end of the day, it’s more enjoyable if you’re on the same page! 

Enthusiastic consent is a healthy activity that we recommend bringing into the bedroom regardless any-who!

 

What Consent Means?

  • You can change your mind at any time, for any reason - whether it’s beforehand or during.
  • No one can force you to perform a sexual act if you don’t want to.
  • You should maintain an awareness of your sexual partners body-language and responsiveness – it doesn’t kill the mood to question!
  • No one is entitled to your body, regardless of gender, identity, and sexuality.

 

What Is NOT Consent?

  • Refusing to acknowledge “no”
  • A partner who is disengaged, nonresponsive, or visibly upset is a clear indication of someone who isn’t enthusiastically consenting – in this instance, its always best to stop what you’re doing and check in with them.
  • If someone agrees to an activity under pressure of intimidation or threat, that isn’t considered consent because it was not given freely.
  • Unequal power dynamics, such as engaging in sexual activity with an employee or student, also mean that consent cannot be freely given.
  •  Assuming that if someone is wearing certain clothes, flirting, or kissing, that it is an invitation for anything more. If it was, they would express that.
  • Someone being under the legal age of consent, as defined by your state.
  • Someone being incapacitated because of drugs or alcohol.
  • Pressuring someone into sexual activity by using fear, intimidation, manipulation, or coercion
  • Assuming you have permission to engage in a sexual act because you’ve done it in the past – consent should be clear for each new sexual encounter.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Consent is an important aspect of any sexual encounter, or really encounter of any kind. However, I think we can all agree that confirming consent is not a “mood killer” but rather can act as an enhancer. Bring enthusiastic consent into the bedroom can even aid communication!

If you have anymore questions or are looking for advice please contact the team on our FREE-CALL line 1800 666 069.

 

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