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Consent

Consent is getting permission from someone. Consent applies to everyday activities such as giving a hug or borrowing someone’s laptop. In the context of a sexual relationship, consent is the act of willingly agreeing to engage in each specific sexual contact or activity. Consent must be clear, knowing, voluntary and expressed prior to engaging in and during each sexual act. It is important to understand consent before talking about consent as it relates to sex.

Consent is necessary for all sexual interactions. Consent to sexual activity is:

  • An enthusiastic, mutual agreement between everyone involved.
  • A conversation that requires consciousness and clarity.
  • Asking, not assuming. A "yes" to one thing does not imply a "yes" to all things.
  • A decision that can be revoked at any time.

Consent is a Conversation: Not a Check Box

Communication is vital before and throughout a sexual encounter to ensure that those involved feel comfortable expressing their wants, needs, concerns and boundaries. The topics and questions below provide some tools to help you have a conversation about consent and what types of sexual activity you are comfortable engaging in.

  • Communication: How will we communicate before, during and after? Verbally? Through body language? How will we check in if one of us is uncomfortable once we start?
  • Mood: How do we want to feel? What’s the vibe? Is it fun and playful? Chill and relaxed? If anyone is anxious or concerned, how will we stop and check in? What activities do we want to do today? What do we not want to do? What are we excited about? What may be different about this time or changed from the last time we were together?
  • Safety: Do we know if either of us have any sexually transmitted infections (STIs)? If so, have we communicated about them? How will we prevent STIs (e.g. using a condom, dental dam)? If pregnancy is a concern, will a birth control method be used? To learn more about sexual health, visit this page.
  • What’s Next? Do we expect to keep interacting, and if so, in what way? If we’re not on the same page, is that okay? How will we handle that?

Consent is Mandatory

While talking about what another person is interested in sexually may seem awkward, the consequences of not getting consent are serious and harmful. There are several circumstances in which consent is not possible. These include, but are not limited to, when someone is: forced, threatened, unconscious, unaware or is incapacitated by any substance (including alcohol). To learn more about the formal UT Austin definition of consent, view the University’s policy.

Additional Resources Related to Consent

  • The Voices Against Violence student organization is open to all students who want to build a campus culture that values consent and healthy relationships and supports survivors. The VAV Student Org offers a supportive space for learning how to prevent interpersonal violence. The student organization meets every Thursday from 5-6 p.m. at SSB 1.106.
  • Request one of VAV's interactive workshops.
  • Explore VAV’s Clinical Resources.
  • Learn more about how Healthyhorns Play it Safe including information on safer sex supplies, contraception, STI testing and more.

If you have been impacted by interpersonal violence in any way and need support, you can contact the Counseling and Mental Health Center, University Health Services or the Title IX Office.