Understandings of Sexual Consent Amongst Young Adults

Young people in Australia are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault with over 40% of reported assaults occurring between the ages of 15 and 35. Despite this, there is little research exploring how young people are engaging with changing perspectives on sexual consent negotiation. Key components of consent frameworks explored in this research are the relationship between the victim and perpetrator, and behaviours of the victim and perpetrator, including the ways in which consent is communicated or sought [or not sought]. Contemporary societal perspectives on consent were explored using survey data from 379 Australians aged 18–35. Results indicate widespread acceptance of affirmative consent approaches to consent, including recognition of passive forms of non-consent communication. However, a substantial minority of participants continue to hold consent views which demonstrate a failure to recognise non-consent in certain contexts and an absence of consideration of contextual cues that may factor into a person’s capacity to give free and enthusiastic consent. This highlights the importance of effective education on consent recognition and communication amongst young people.