- What is consent? What should it look like?
➢ Consent is a voluntary agreement to a behaviour and/or activity; it is a process and applies to many different kinds of activities and relationship contexts
➢ Think of FRIES- F = Freely given – consent must be freely given without pressure, coercion, and manipulation to qualify as authentic consent
- R = Reversible – even if someone consented at the beginning, they can say no and revoke their consent at any point
- I = Informed – all parties involved are aware of the parameters for consent (e.g., if one individual has consented to sending a picture of themselves through text, they have the right to know if that image would be shared)
- E = Enthusiastic – there should be no reluctance or hesitation in the consent given
- S = Specific – the consent process needs to be restarted for every new act/behaviour
- Why is consent important?
➢ Consent is about establishing and respecting healthy boundaries – both our own and others
➢ When the behaviour or activity we are engaging in involves another, we need to make sure we have their voluntary consent before going ahead with the behaviour or activity - Who is responsible for consent? The person seeking or the person giving consent?
➢ Everyone is responsible for consent, BOTH the person seeking it and the person giving it
➢ Especially the person who is initiating the act/behaviour is responsible for SEEKING consent - Where can the consent process apply?
➢ Consent applies in all situations and relationships where an activity requires the voluntary agreement of another individual
➢ Examples can include:- Posting pictures or other content about someone online
- Before any kind of physical contact with someone (e.g., giving hugs, playing with someone’s hair, etc.)
- When borrowing or using another’s belongings
- Before engaging in any sexual activity and during the process of doing so
- What is the difference between consent, coercion, and compliance?
➢ Consent involves a clear, enthusiastic, verbal agreement to something
➢ Coercion is when you are pressured or forced into doing something
➢ Compliance is when you agree to do something without actually wanting to (not willing and enthusiastic)
➢ In different social situations, the differences between these can sometimes get confusing. It is important to remember that true consent always involve all the components in FRIES discussed above
*if you would like to have a discussion about the legal age of consent, please review over the ‘Age of Consent Info Sheet’ found here.