Which of the following situations is an example of affirmative consent?
A. JT and TJ met at a fraternity party and had a few drinks together After TJ walked JT back to their apartment, JT invited JT to come in, and they had sex
B. Kendall is 15 and Cameron is 17. They used to attend the same Maryland high school before Cameron’s family moved to Pennsylvania. They recently saw each other in Ocea
hotel room.
C. Lee and Jay recently met at a job fair held at their college. After going out for coffee and then heading back to Lee’s dorm room, they start kissing. Lee begins to unbutton Jay’s
smiles, kisses Lee, and nods enthusiastically, and says “Yes”
D. None of the above show affirmative consent
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is C: Lee and Jay recently met at a job fair held at their college. After going out for coffee and then heading back to Lee’s dorm room, they start kissing. Lee begins to unbutton Jay’s shirt, and Jay smiles, kisses Lee, and nods enthusiastically, saying “Yes.”
Explanation:
Affirmative consent is a clear, voluntary, and enthusiastic agreement to participate in a sexual activity. It means that all parties involved actively communicate their willingness to engage in the act, and the consent is not implied or coerced. It must be given freely and knowingly, without pressure or manipulation, and it should be given at every step of the interaction.
Let’s examine each option:
- A. JT and TJ met at a fraternity party, had drinks, and after walking JT back to their apartment, JT invited TJ in, and they had sex.
- This situation lacks clear evidence of affirmative consent. The key issue here is that there is no explicit statement of consent from JT at the point where the sexual activity began. While JT invited TJ inside, consent for sexual activity should be communicated clearly at every stage. Consent must be enthusiastic, not just inferred from an invitation into the apartment.
- B. Kendall (15) and Cameron (17) saw each other in an ocean hotel room.
- This situation is about a potential issue of age of consent rather than the clarity of affirmative consent. In many places, the legal age for consent is set to protect minors from exploitation or coercion in sexual activities. Even though there may be an instance of consent here, it is critical to recognize that the law governs what constitutes legal consent based on age, not just the presence of a verbal agreement.
- C. Lee and Jay met at a job fair and, after coffee, they start kissing. Lee begins to unbutton Jay’s shirt, and Jay smiles, kisses Lee, and nods enthusiastically, saying “Yes.”
- This situation clearly illustrates affirmative consent. Jay enthusiastically smiles, kisses Lee, and verbally says “Yes.” These actions indicate an active, clear, and voluntary agreement to continue with the sexual activity. Jay is not only affirming consent through words but also through body language, indicating enthusiastic participation in the act.
- D. None of the above show affirmative consent.
- This answer is incorrect because C does show a clear example of affirmative consent.
In conclusion, affirmative consent is about clear, enthusiastic, and ongoing agreement to engage in sexual activity. Option C demonstrates this, as Jay’s verbal affirmation (“Yes”) and enthusiastic body language clearly communicate consent.