What is Consent?

The writer of “The Power of No” said, “I’m not doing this, I don’t want to.” Jack may not have known exactly what she meant; that's when they should have had a meaningful conversation about consent. One way to know that you’re ready for sex is that you’re able to have that conversation before you’re in the heat of the moment. Here are some tips on how to do that from loveisrespect.org:

As important as consent is, we don’t talk about it enough. So it’s understandable if you’re a little unsure as to what consent is—and what it isn’t. You may have heard the idea that “no means no,” but this doesn’t really provide a complete picture of what consent is because it puts the responsibility on one person to resist or accept. It also makes consent about what a partner doesn’t want, instead of being able to openly express what they do want.

Well, How Does It Work?

Some people are worried that talking about consent will be awkward or that it will ruin the mood, which is far from true. If anything, the mood is much more positive when both partners are happy and can freely communicate what they want. First off, talk about what terms like “hooking up” or “going all the way” mean to each partner. Consider having these conversations during a time when you’re not being physically intimate.

If you are in the heat if the moment, here are some suggestions of things to say:
• Are you comfortable?
• Is this OK?
• Do you want to slow down?
• Do you want to go any further?

What Consent Looks Like:

• Communicating every step of the way. For example, during a hookup, ask if it’s OK to take your partner’s shirt off and don’t just assume that they are comfortable with it.
• Respecting that when they don’t say “no,” it doesn’t mean “yes.”
• Breaking away from gender “rules.” Girls are not the only ones who might want to take it slow. Also, it’s not a guy’s job to initiate the action (or anything else, really).

What Consent Does NOT Look Like:

• Assuming that dressing sexy, flirting, accepting a ride, accepting a drink etc. is in any way consenting to anything more.
• Saying yes (or saying nothing) while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Saying yes or giving into something because you feel too pressured or too afraid to say no.

Here are some red flags that indicate your partner doesn’t respect consent:

• They pressure or guilt you into doing things you may not want to do.
• They make you feel like you “owe” them—because you’re dating, or they gave you a gift, etc.
• They react negatively (with sadness, anger, or resentment) if you say “no” to something, or don’t immediately consent.
• They ignore your wishes, and don’t pay attention to nonverbal cues that could show you’re not consenting (pulling/pushing away).

Get Consent Every Time

In a healthy relationship, it’s important to discuss and respect each other’s boundaries consistently. It’s not OK to assume that once someone consents to an activity, it means they are consenting to it anytime in the future as well. Whether it’s the first time or the 100th time, a hookup, a committed relationship, or even marriage, nobody is ever obligated to give consent just because they have done so in the past. A person can decide to stop an activity at any time, even if they agreed to it earlier. Above all, everyone has a right to their own body and to feel comfortable with how they use it—no matter what has happened in the past.

Source: Youth communication