Can Consent Training End Sexual Violence On Campus?: Students, Consent and Sexual Ethics

The ongoing, potentially worsening problem of sexual violence and harassment on university campuses has emerged in the last few years as an area of concern. Female students have been identified as one of the most likely groups to experience sexual violence and this violence is exacerbated by contemporary student cultures around alcohol consumption and gendered and sexual norms. University campuses have also become central to prevention efforts in many countries due to their relatively accessible populations and an ability to implement social policies at an institutional level.
Many of these measures are based around promoting or educating students about sexual consent, and particularly notions of affirmative consent, expressed as ‘Yes means Yes’. However, there exists little research around sexual ethics with students exploring whether consent is in fact the best way to tackle cultural problems of sexual violence on campus. This paper makes use of existing literature on sexual ethics and focus group research undertaken with Australian university students to argue for an approach to the problem of sexual ethics on campus that is broader than simply focusing on training programs in sexual consent. It identifies a number of limitations to the consent framework and argues that prevention efforts need to more seriously engage with broader cultural norms around heterosexuality and gendered relationships.

Consent: male interpretations of sexual interactions

 This research examined men’s perceptions of sexual consent. Study 1 showed that consent varied according to factors such as the relationship status of a woman. Study 2 found that sex worker clients have a clear understanding of what consent entails within the client-sex worker interaction.

The Failures of Consent: How the (En)gendering of Sexual Scripts and Desire within Consensual Sex Preserves Rape Culture within the University

The epidemic of sexual assault on American university campuses that was first acknowledged by Mary P. Koss in 1987 has resulted in the centering of consent as a key way of distinguishing between acceptable, normal sex and unacceptable, punishable sex. Unfortunately, various experiences of sex that fit within the acceptable, normal sex category according to university policy frameworks can often have just as detrimental side effects on women as rape does. The need to investigate how simplistic notions of consent might be failing women in challenging rape culture then becomes paramount. This paper uses a mix of intersectional feminist theory and script theory to provide an analytical review of contemporary writings and studies derived from various books, journals, and news articles on sexual assault and consent movements available through the University of Washington library system and various online resources. The findings include how various forms of apparently consensual sex such as coerced sex, compliant sex, and even enthusiastic, pleasurable sex can play into upholding rape culture, harm women disproportionately, and uphold men’s systemic power. By becoming involved in the continued modern discussions of consent, this paper seeks to redirect the current discourse on sexual consent now common on university campuses in hopes of broadening our perception of consensual sex and more adequately challenge rape culture.

Harm, responsibility, age and consent

This article explores the contradictory ways in which adolescents just under the age of consent are represented in illegal sexual relations with both men and women who are over the age of consent. We are specifically interested in the ways in which the gender of the adolescent and the adult affect public perceptions, legal responses and perceptions of harm of sexual relations. We argue that the development of an indiscriminate legal and policy narrative of child abuse which increasingly includes all aspects of adolescent sexuality, ‘erases’ adolescent subjectivity. By exploring the nuanced ways in which the historical construction of childhood as sexually innocent intersects with current cultural scripts of femininity and masculinity, this article hopes to add to the small but growing literature on the issue of sexual consent, sexual ethics and sexual citizenship for young people.

Quien puede querer, quiso? El consentimiento sexual como problema en el tratamiento judicial de los delitos sexuales, Bs. As. 1863-1921

En los últimos años, los delitos sexuales se han convertido en objeto de preocupación para la sociedad; esto se vio reforzado por las nuevas formas de pensar y vivir las relaciones humanas inter e intra-género-s y especialmente las elecciones sexuales. En este trabajo propongo volver a poner en debate algunas cuestiones que hacen al problema de la definición jurídico-social y a la comprensión del "consentimiento" en el contexto específico de los expedientes seguidos por delitos sexuales en el ámbito de la provincia de Buenos Aires, entre 1863 y 1921, teniendo en cuenta la importancia que este concepto tiene para la definición de los delitos sexuales como tales. También se tomarán en cuenta algunos escritos de la época que permiten conocer la circulación de ideas en el ámbito específico del derecho y la medicina legal. Al mismo tiempo, pretendo poner en tensión las ideas sociales y culturales que aparezcan reflejadas en las fuentes respecto de qué es, cómo se otorga y cuándo puede hablarse de un efectivo consentimiento, así como de su contrario. Poniendo en juego las subjetividades propias de los participantes en el proceso. Resaltando la centralidad de esta cuestión en el mismo tanto para la definición de una víctima como para la caracterización de los acusados

Quien puede querer, quiso? El consentimiento sexual como problema en el tratamiento judicial de los delitos sexuales, Bs. As. 1863-1921

En los últimos años, los delitos sexuales se han convertido en objeto de preocupación para la sociedad; esto se vio reforzado por las nuevas formas de pensar y vivir las relaciones humanas inter e intra-género-s y especialmente las elecciones sexuales. En este trabajo propongo volver a poner en debate algunas cuestiones que hacen al problema de la definición jurídico-social y a la comprensión del "consentimiento" en el contexto específico de los expedientes seguidos por delitos sexuales en el ámbito de la provincia de Buenos Aires, entre 1863 y 1921, teniendo en cuenta la importancia que este concepto tiene para la definición de los delitos sexuales como tales. También se tomarán en cuenta algunos escritos de la época que permiten conocer la circulación de ideas en el ámbito específico del derecho y la medicina legal. Al mismo tiempo, pretendo poner en tensión las ideas sociales y culturales que aparezcan reflejadas en las fuentes respecto de qué es, cómo se otorga y cuándo puede hablarse de un efectivo consentimiento, así como de su contrario. Poniendo en juego las subjetividades propias de los participantes en el proceso. Resaltando la centralidad de esta cuestión en el mismo tanto para la definición de una víctima como para la caracterización de los acusados

Quien puede querer, quiso? El consentimiento sexual como problema en el tratamiento judicial de los delitos sexuales, Bs. As. 1863-1921

En los últimos años, los delitos sexuales se han convertido en objeto de preocupación para la sociedad; esto se vio reforzado por las nuevas formas de pensar y vivir las relaciones humanas inter e intra-género-s y especialmente las elecciones sexuales. En este trabajo propongo volver a poner en debate algunas cuestiones que hacen al problema de la definición jurídico-social y a la comprensión del "consentimiento" en el contexto específico de los expedientes seguidos por delitos sexuales en el ámbito de la provincia de Buenos Aires, entre 1863 y 1921, teniendo en cuenta la importancia que este concepto tiene para la definición de los delitos sexuales como tales. También se tomarán en cuenta algunos escritos de la época que permiten conocer la circulación de ideas en el ámbito específico del derecho y la medicina legal. Al mismo tiempo, pretendo poner en tensión las ideas sociales y culturales que aparezcan reflejadas en las fuentes respecto de qué es, cómo se otorga y cuándo puede hablarse de un efectivo consentimiento, así como de su contrario. Poniendo en juego las subjetividades propias de los participantes en el proceso. Resaltando la centralidad de esta cuestión en el mismo tanto para la definición de una víctima como para la caracterización de los acusados

Juror stereotypes and blame attribution in rape cases involving intoxicants - The findings of a pilot study

Prior to recent legislative changes, sexual offences were contained in a combination of statutory provisions and common law that was criticized as being ill-equipped to tackle the intricacies of modern sexual (mis)behaviour. This pilot study explored the capacity of these provisions to address the complexities of drug-assisted rape using focus groups and a trial simulation to identify factors which influenced jurors in rape trials involving intoxicants. The findings revealed that jurors considered numerous extra-legal factors when reaching a decision: rape myths, misconceptions about the impact of intoxicants and factors such as the motivation of the defendant in administering an intoxicant. This paper draws upon these findings, focusing in particular on the interaction between juror attributions of blame and stereotypical conceptions about intoxication, sexual consent and drug-assisted rape. The findings of this pilot study form the basis for a larger-scale project (ESRC -funded, commenced January 2004) that examines this interaction in the context of new provisions under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

At what age can females consent to sexual activity? A survey of jury-eligible Australians

One suggested reason for the low conviction rates of alleged child sexual abuse offenders relates to the attitudes and beliefs the public hold about such victims; sexual interactions starting at an earlier age; and because the oversexualisation of children and teenagers portrayed in the media may have affected perceptions as to when females are capable ofgiving consent to sexual interactions. A sample of 580 jury-eligible participants completed six implicit questions via an online survey regarding females' capacity to consent. While participants had similar perceptions in response to the type of question asked, there were some differences due to respondent group. When significant differences were observed, women had significantly lower estimates of the age at which female adolescents can make informed decisions about sexual activity than men, as did respondents who had children and were older. Working with children had little impact. The legal implications of these findings are discussed.

Consent as a Common Law Defence to Non-Sexual Assaults: The Effect of Neal v The Queen

The following discussion is an exposition of the recognised exceptions to the general rule that the law will not sanction the giving of a lawful consent to the application or threat of actual or grievous bodily harm. The discussion will also focus on a series of decisions in the UK and Australia, particularly Neal v The Queen, that have altered the law's approach to these exceptions and, more importantly, now permit a personto give an informed consent to the risk of contracting HIV or any other sexually transmitted diseases, provided there was no intention on the part of the accused to actually infect the other person. The underlying rationale for sanctioning an informed consent to such a risk is that consenting adults should be accorded the utmost autonomy in conductingtheir private affairs, and particularly so in the context of the choices they make regarding their private sexual activities. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the notion of allowing one to lawfully consent to such a risk, it raises an important question as to the current status of the general rule that one cannot generally give an informed consent to the applicationor threat of actual or grievous bodily harm. More succinctly stated, if the law is prepared to allow an informed consent to the risk of contracting a potentially fatal disease, then what remains of what had previously been a well-settled rule that, save for a few well-recognised exceptions, persons were generally prohibited from consenting to the application or threat of actual or grievous bodily harm?

Preventing sexual violence?

This article critically assesses the main social policy responses to preventing rape following much feminist struggle to make sexual violence a public matter of legitimate concern. It considers the preventative potential of legal measures, anti-violence campaigns waged by feminist and men's groups in the US and Australia, public education campaigns in Schools and Universities, and public awareness campaigns sponsored by the state.We argue that sexual violence is not amenable to quick fix strategies that place responsibility for prevention entirely on individual men or women. While we recognise that responsibilising victims and individualising offenders is consistent with wider global shifts in social policy calling upon individuals to manage their own risk, we argue that the increasing reliance on such neo-liberal social policy is especially problematic in preventing rape. The paper suggests ways to resist this which place greater emphasis on the promotion of sexual ethics; the eroticisation of consent; the reinvention of the norms of romance to include both these, and the complete separation of the psycho-social-symbolic connections between sex and violence, and ultimately the re-evaluation of the cultural expectations of masculinity and femininity.

Healthy sexual development : a multidisciplinary framework for research

A group of Australian researchers from a range of disciplines involved in studying children's sexual development developed a framework for researching healthy sexual development that was acceptable to all disciplines involved. The 15 domains identified were: freedom from unwanted activity; an understanding of consent; education about biological aspects; understanding of safety; relationship skills; agency; lifelong learning; resilience; open communication; sexual development should not be “aggressive, coercive or joyless;” self-acceptance; awareness and acceptance that sex is pleasurable; understanding of parental and societal values; awareness of public/private boundaries; and being competent in mediated sexuality.

School-based youth health nurses and adolescent decision-making concerning reproductive and sexual health advice : how can the law guide healthcare practitioners in this context?

This paper outlines some of the issues faced by School-Based Youth Health Nurses working in Queensland, in relation to the legal principles surrounding the provision of reproductive and sexual health advice. The paper outlines a number of specific issues faced by nurses working within this setting and considers the legal principles underpinning the issues concerning consent and confidentiality. The discussion in this paper demonstrates how the legal principles – which are often viewed as complex and uncertain by nurses working within this field – may be used as a guide to underpin good practice and compliance with the law. Although this paper is considered in the context of nurses working within Queensland, the principles and factors outlined are relevant to healthcare practitioners working within all Australian jurisdictions.