CONSENT?

Sex should be fun and enjoyable for everyone involved, and that means saying no if you are uncomfortable...

Consent simply means agreeing to do something. In the context of sexual activity, this can be anything from holding hands to intercourse. In the UK, the legal age of consent is 16, meaning it is illegal to engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 16.

Sexual contact with anyone – regardless of age, gender or sexual orientation – without consent is illegal. If the other person continues with the sexual act when permission has been denied or has not been given (see below), this is sexual assault or rape.

Consent in practice

Sometimes people don’t really understand what consent means in different situtations. For the avoidance of doubt, the law states that a person consents to something if they ‘‘agree by choice and have the freedom to make that choice”. Someone cannot consent if they are:

■ Asleep or unconscious

■ Drunk or high

■ Threatened or forced

Everyone has the right to say no and to withdraw

SEX, CONSENT AND YOUR RIGHTS

Sex should be fun and enjoyable for everyone involved. If you’re engaging in acts that make you unhappy or that you don’t wish to partake in, or you’re being forced to do something against your will, always say no and try to remove yourself from the situation.

If you think you may have been sexually assaulted or raped, or if someone has forced you to do something of a sexual nature that consent at any time. If you have consented to a sexual activity with someone before, this does not mean that you have consented indefinitely and each sexual encounter is treated seperately. you didn’t want to do, you should speak to someone you trust – a friend or parent – and contact Student Services and the police as soon as possible. It is not OK, and it is never your fault.

If you’re not sure if the person you’re having sexual contact with has consented, stop and check for clarification. If this is still unclear, stop what you’re doing.