What is Sexual Consent?

by Jahnaya Anderson | January 26, 2022

Consent is…

An agreement to participate in sexual activity. Consenting is all about setting personal boundaries and respecting those of others. Both parties must agree to sex, every single time, for it to be consensual.

Without consent sexual activity is considered sexual assault or rape.

This includes oral sex, genital touching, and vaginal or anal penetration.

Consent cannot be given by individuals who are:

• Underage
• Intoxicated
• Incapacitated by drugs or alcohol
• Asleep or unconscious

Consent cannot be implied by:

• Past behavior
• What a person is wearing
• Silence
• ‘Being with someone for a long time’

If someone agrees to an activity under pressure of intimidation, coercion, or threat, this is non-consensual as consent wasn’t given freely.

Sexual Assault vs Rape

The term sexual assault refers to sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the victim. Some forms of sexual assault include:

• Forcing a victim to perform sexual acts
• Attempted rape
• Unwanted sexual touching

Rape is defined as penetration without the consent of a victim.

Rape is a form of sexual assault, but not all sexual assault is rape.

Sexual Assault vs Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is a broader concept and refers to a variety of inappropriate sexual behaviors. Sexual harassment doesn’t have to include sexual touching or contact. It can include sexual comments, jokes, or showing offensive material to others. Sexual assault is when persons engage in sexual activity, that is non-consensual.