What is Sexual Consent
What is Consent? A Guide to Sex and Relationships
Consent should be discussed whenever you're thinking about a possible sexual encounter.
In fact, consent should be the basis for every sexual encounter. Engaging in a sexual act without the other person's consent is considered sexual assault or rape.
Every act requires consent. Even if you have been kissing, that does not mean you have agreed to do anything more, or you have consent from your partner to do more.
Consent means that both people in a sexual encounter must agree to it, and must be clear-headed and capable of giving such agreement. Either person may decide at any time that you no longer consent and want to stop the activity.
Consenting to one behavior does not obligate you to consent to any other behaviors. Consenting on one occasion also does not obligate you to consent on any other occasion.
Consenting means only that at this particular time, you would like to engage in this particular sexual behavior.
Consent is affirmative.
This chart offers descriptions of the continuum of behaviors in sexual relationships.