Affirmative Consent on College Campuses

Before heading back to campus, protect yourself by understanding your responsibility with affirmative consent!

AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT is a knowing, voluntary and mutual decision among all participants to engage in sexual activity. That means everywhere, including on college campuses. And, if a student is really drunk, she cannot give her consent to sex because she is incapacitated. This is a new law that went into effect in early 2015 in California and New York, and affirmative consent bills have been introduced in New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Connecticut.

The good news is that even if consent to engage in sex is given initially, the woman has the right to decide when she would like to stop. “Yes means yes” means that sex can advance until you hear “no.” Silence or lack of physical resistance does not demonstrate consent.

Hello! Is everyone paying attention here?

So if you’re a guy, it’s probably a good idea to make sure your partner would like to continue at different stages of sexual activity.  Ask, “Do you want to do this? Is this okay?” to be sure you’re not misreading your partner’s intent.  A good way to think of it is like borrowing a friend’s car. You don’t just take someone else’s car, right?  You would ask permission first and then take the car after they confirmed their assent by handing you the keys.  

Don’t rely on nonverbal cues. Just because your partner appears to be enjoying the sexual activity or is wearing sexy clothing does not mean that you have permission to move to the next level of intimacy. You still need to get verbal permission to have sex in order to protect yourself.  In other words, if you take the car without getting the keys first, you’ve committed a crime. Capiche? 

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