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Normalize Asking for Consent
When we respect each other’s boundaries, both personal and emotional, we are enabling a culture of consent. The myth that consent is only important when it comes to sex carries on, but consent culture actually applies to our everyday interactions, whether it means sharing a photo of someone online or asking before giving a hug. Consent should be voluntary, enthusiastic, sober, verbal, non-coerced, continuous, and honest. [Mohd Ikram, Breakthrough Organization]
In order to normalize consent in sexual encounters, we have to make consent common practice in all aspects of our lives. If we all engage in a culture of consent, this would mean respecting and empowering everyone’s choices to say no on a variety of fronts: an invitation to a social gathering, a request to help on a project, or even an offer to attend an event on campus. “Consent culture” is how we reimagine a world without sexual violence. Consent culture is how we challenge rape culture overall. [Johanna DeBari, Survivor Advocacy & Community Education, Wesleyan University]
Ways you can support:
- Avoid using language that objectifies or degrades women
- Be mindful and respect other people’s physical space even in casual situations
- Always communicate with sexual partners and do not assume consent
- Donate to Atira Women’s Resource Society, where we work to support women and their children who have faced violence / abuse in our community
see more ways you can prevent gender-based violence everyday.