What is Consent?
Many people are taught that solely saying "yes" is the only way to gain consent, however there is often times a lot of grey area. The only way to be sure is an excited "yes", without coercion and the influence of drugs/alcohol. Consent can be taken away at any time, and it's important to discuss what each person is consenting to. The stories here show the grey area of consent, and hopefully will shed some light on the importance of everyone's consent.
Why is Consent Important?
According to the CDC 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men reported experiencing rape at some point in their lives. 51% of females reported their perpetrators as an intimate partner, 41% an acquaintance, and 14% were strangers. Males reported 53% to be acquaintances, 15% were strangers, and 67% intimate partners. Because these numbers are so high, it's important to be able to teach people exactly what consent is. The "stranger hiding in the bushes" belief is not nearly as common as it is made out to be and it's important for people to treat their sexual partners with respect, and understanding to the other's feelings.
*Please note that accurate trans/nonbinary information could not be found.