The Consent Project
The Range of Sexual Consent
No Consent
Sexual Assault or
Rape
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Sexual Assault: sexual contact or behavior without explicit consent.
Rape is penetration of any body part without consent. Rape is a crime and is punishable by law.
Unwanted Consent
Sex Without Desire
Unwanted sexual consent is the grey area of consent. It is agreed upon, but not desired. It can feel like assault but is not recognized by society or punishable by law.
Wanted Consent
True Consensual Sex
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Consent is an agreement between two parties to engage in sexual activity. It is actively agreed upon, freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic, and specific.
The problem with the current education about consent is that it ignores the complex pressures that drive women to act against their own interests. 4 Because women are socialized to be accommodating, they may not even be aware that they are doing something that compromises their well-being. True consent requires a clear understanding of the relational context as well as the social and emotional freedom to say no.
Knowledge
True Consent
Freedom
What is Unwanted Consent?
Unwanted sexual consent ranges from smiling at a catcall to giving in to a sexual assault. Women and girls learn to accept unwanted sexual attention with an uncomfortable smile or a giggle. They understand that sometimes giving in and going along is what girls have to do to keep the peace, get ahead, or stay safe. They write it off as "not that bad" and learn to keep it to themselves.