Probably, you have heard of sexual consent. All sexual relationships require consent, even married ones. Sexual violence is sexual behavior without consent.

What is sexual consent?

Sexual consent is a mutual agreement to engage in sexual activities. This indicates that sexual encounters without consent are extortion and sexual violence.

There is a societal understanding that married couples do not require sexual consent when engaging in intimate activities. In reality, however, this agreement is applicable to all individuals, including married couples.

Domestic sexual abuse occurs when a husband and wife have sex without consent. Thus, married couples need consent before having sex.

Read more: Signs Of Children Experiencing Sexual Harassment

Sexual consent criteria

Sexual consent, or agreement to have sexual contact, can be communicated verbally or nonverbally, such as by nodding. Sexual consent can only be given if the person is mindful and not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

There are various conditions to receive sexual consent, including:

Brief

Clear and unambigous sexual consent is required. Each agreement explicitly permits sexual activity. Remember that remaining silent does not imply approval for sexual activity. It is best to avoid sexual activity with a sexual partner until you have a clear understanding of permission.

Can be changed at any moment

Sexual consent is not permanent. Sexual consent is not enduring. Therefore, it is important to understand that sexual permission might be stopped at any given moment. When this occurs during sexual activity, it is necessary to end the activity. 

Voluntarily provided

Sexual consent should be provided voluntarily and without any form of coercion. Consent garnered under pressure does not qualify as sexual consent.

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Consent is a necessary requirement for all individuals, including those who are married. No one  can push anyone else to do anything against their will. No one has the right to demand sexual permission from another person under pressure just because they are in a committed relationship.

Always keep in mind that it is a crime to engage in any form of sexual contact (touching, kissing, or intercourse) without the other person's consent.

How to respectfully discuss sexual consent

Consensual sexual activity is essential in any intimate relationship. Furthermore, when someone is requesting consent to sexual behaviors, they need to receive a clear answer without being forced to do so. It may be uncomfortable for you to request this agreement, but it is essential for the two of you to have this agreement in order to feel comfortable.

To receive this approval, you may ask the following questions:

• May I kiss you?
• May I kiss you here?
• May I take this off?
• Are you comfortable with this?
• What if we do it like this?
• Would you like us to stop?

Don't push an agreement if your partner rejects it.

Sexual consent is crucial in sexual activities. Engaging in sexual activities without receiving explicit consent might be classified as a crime. If you have questions regarding sexual intercourse, you have the option to seek advice from a medical professional or use the consultation feature in the Ai Care application.

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