Consent

What is Consent?

Consent means to give your permission by saying “yes.”
Consent is based on choice.
Consent is active, not passive.
Consent is possible only when there is equal power.
Giving in because of fear is not consent.
Deception or manipulation eliminates the possibility of consent.
If you can’t say “no” comfortably then “yes” has no meaning.
If you are unwilling to accept “no” then “yes” has no meaning.
Giggling, changing the subject, or squirming away does not communicate a “yes” or a “no”.
To give your permission you must be able to say “yes” or “no” without pressure.
If someone gets you to do something through lying, you did not give consent because that person tricked you.
(Author Unknown)

Guidelines for Consent in Intimate Relationships by Alan Berkowitz, Ph.D.