affirmative consent
Clear verbal agreement
Affirmative consent is explicit, voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity—a "yes means yes" standard rather than "no means no." The concept requires active communication rather than assuming silence or lack of resistance implies consent.
Widely adopted in university policies and some legal frameworks: The school's policy requires affirmative consent before any sexual contact.
- yesOpposite of no
- saying yesExpressing agreement or approval
- green lightAuthorization to proceed
- permissionGranted right to act
- agreementShared position between parties
enthusiastic · willing · freely given · boundaries · safe word · explicit · verbal · body language · clear · mutual · ongoing · sober · communication · check in · asking · active listening · respect · power dynamics
- sex crimes lawsexual abuse, statutory rape, sexual assault, molestation, sex offender registry
affirmative consentimplied consent
Permission inferred, not stated
assumed consent · non-consent · silence · passivity · tacit consent
affirmative consentcoercion
Pressured compliance through threats
rape · sexual assault · non-consent · force · violation
affirmative, affirm, affirms, affirming, affirmation, affirmations, reaffirm, reaffirms, reaffirmed