The following are principles that apply to Cornell\u2019s definition of affirmative consent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Consent to any sexual act or prior consensual sexual activity does not necessarily constitute consent to any other sexual act.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Consent is required regardless of whether the person initiating the act is under the influence of drugs and\/or alcohol.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Consent may be withdrawn at any time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- When affirmative consent is withdrawn or can no longer be given, sexual activity must stop.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A person is incapable of affirmative consent when they are less than 17 years of age, mentally disabled, or incapacitated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A person is incapacitated when they lack the ability to choose knowingly to participate in sexual activity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Consent cannot be given when it is the result of any coercion, intimidation, force, or threat of harm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How do drugs and alcohol influence consent?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If someone is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants, they may be incapacitated and, therefore, unable to give consent, depending on the level of intoxication. Signs of incapacitation might include slurring words, stumbling, unfocused eyes, or throwing up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recognizing the signs of incapacitation is important. A person who is incapacitated lacks the ability to choose knowingly to participate in sexual activity. Consider not having sex unless you\u2019ve spoken about it with your partner beforehand \u2014 while sober \u2014 and agreed on a certain level of comfort with non-sober sexual activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you decide to have sex when one or both of you have been drinking or using substances, check in more frequently to make sure your partner is sure about responding \u201cyes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What does consent look like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Practicing affirmative consent requires clear communication between partners, rather than one or both partners making assumptions or guessing at what the other wants. Communication can be verbal or nonverbal, but either way, it needs to communicate clear, mutual permission. Everyone needs to be on the same page about whether or not consent has been established before sexual activity starts or continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples of verbal communications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The best consent involves a back-and-forth asking and affirming. Asking might sound like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- \u201cIs it okay if I do XYZ?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cDo you like this?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cWould you like me to keep going?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cDoes this feel good?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Examples of nonverbal communications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Nodding and smiling<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Moving closer or further away<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Turning away or shaking head no<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Crossing arms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Tense body language<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Unresponsive or quiet<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Examples of checking in and withdrawing consent<\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"Chat](\"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/Consent-Dialogue.png\")
<\/p>\n\n\nRemember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The absence of \u201cno\u201d is not \u201cyes\u201d \u2014 silence does not equal consent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Asking repeatedly in different ways or continuously trying to touch someone does not respect the answer that is clearly being given.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How do power dynamics affect giving or asking for consent?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Power dynamics can affect how comfortable someone is with giving or asking for consent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Being a member of a group or team, enjoying a level of social status on campus, or holding a leadership role or position of authority, such as a teaching assistant, may grant someone power over others.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Power dynamics can also be situational, like having an advantage over other individuals, such as access to a car or being older.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Social pressure operates similarly, especially when someone is new to a group. An individual might feel like they have to abide by certain behaviors or expectations to be accepted and fit in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These types of power differentials and pressures could make a situation coercive. When you are trying to establish consent, be mindful of how your and your partner’s identities and experiences may affect their ability to say “no” or express discomfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is coercion?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Coercion is when someone is made to feel they have to comply and engage in a sexual activity. It might involve the use of physically or emotionally manipulative conduct against a person or threatening them \u2014 directly or indirectly \u2014 with negative actions. Consent cannot be given when it is the result of any coercion, intimidation, force, or threat of harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Examples of coercion and intimidation include using physically or emotionally manipulative conduct against an individual or expressly or implicitly threatening an individual or a third party with negative actions that would compel or induce a reasonable person in the individual\u2019s situation to engage in the sexual activity at issue. Examples of sexual coercion include statements such as \u201cI will ruin your reputation,\u201d or \u201cI will tell everyone,\u201d or \u201cyour career (or education) at Cornell will be over,\u201d or \u201cI will post an image of you naked.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Examples of force or a threat of harm include using physical force or a threat, express or implied, that would place a reasonable person in the complainant\u2019s situation in fear of physical harm to, or kidnapping of, themselves or another person.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Examples of coercion and intimidation include using physically or emotionally manipulative conduct against an individual or expressly or implicitly threatening an individual or a third party with negative actions that would compel or induce a reasonable person in the individual\u2019s situation to engage in the sexual activity at issue. Examples of sexual coercion include statements such as \u201cI will ruin your reputation,\u201d or \u201cI will tell everyone,\u201d or \u201cyour career (or education) at Cornell will be over,\u201d or \u201cI will post an image of you naked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Sources: This tool draws on information and content from COCR<\/a> and Oberlin College and Conservatory\u2019s Office of for Institutional Equity<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Below, you will find an overview of policy language and a description of some of the ways in which consent can come up for individuals. What is Affirmative Consent? Cornell defines affirmative consent as a knowing, voluntary, and mutual decision among all participants to engage in sexual activity. Consent can be given by words or […]","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":6,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-133","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133"}],"version-history":[{"count":43,"href":"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":286,"href":"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/133\/revisions\/286"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/officeofcivilrights.cornell.edu\/education-and-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}