Sexual consent refers to an individual’s approval or agreement to engage in sexual activity. Consent may be given, or not given, in verbal form, or through body language and physical actions. Consent is required for sex to be consensual, that is to say, all participating individuals agree and approve of engaging in the sexual activity.
Sexual consent is a controversial topic because consent can be given and taken away as an individual chooses. Just because an individual consents to one activity does not mean that they will consent to a different activity. It is imperative to pay attention to sexual partners to ensure that consent is present during all activities. It is also important to not that an individual does not need to verbally say, "no" for consent to not be given. If there is any indication of unwillingness or there is a struggle, there is no consent.
Many also argue that true consent cannot be given in instances where the individual is in an altered state, such as under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
