Understanding Consent
Consent is positive cooperation involving an act of free will, absent of coercion, intimidation, force, or the threat of force.
What is consent?
Consent is positive cooperation involving an act of free will, absent of coercion, intimidation, force, or the threat of force.
A person cannot give effective consent if he/she is unable to appreciate the nature of the sexual act, as with a person who has a disability that would impair understanding of the act or if a person is impaired by the influence of drugs or alcohol.
There must always be active consent on both sides.
Consent to one thing does not imply another. If limits are made clear and consent is not given, pressuring someone into changing their mind is not consent. If you are unwilling to accept a “no”, then “yes” has no meaning.
Consent is based on choice.
It is active, not passive. Silence and passivity do not equal consent.
Consent is possible only when there is equal power.
Giving in because of fear is NOT consent. Giving in or going along with someone to gain approval or to avoid being hurt is NOT consent.
Consent means two (or more) people deciding together to do the same thing, at the same time, in the same way, with each other.
In your own words.
What does consent mean to UCI students?
After Hours Resources
UCI Counseling Center (Available 24 hours):
Waymakers' 24-hour hotline resources & referrals for survivors of sexual assault:
Human Options 24-hour hotline resources, safety and support for individuals experiencing relationship abuse:
Suicide Prevention Hotline:
The UCI Police Department (Available 24 hours):
Please call 911 if there is an immediate threat to safety.