Consent

What separates sex or affection from rape or sexual assault? The answer is consent.

Consent means agreeing to what's happening by choice, and having the freedom and ability to make or change that choice.

• You can change your mind at any point and withdraw consent for anything sexual you're doing.
• If someone carries on after you've asked them to stop, that's still rape or sexual assault, even if you originally said yes.
• Saying yes to one thing doesn't mean you've consented to anything else.
• If you're threatened or pressured into something, then you haven't consented freely and it's a crime.
• If you can't freely give consent then it's a crime, for example if you're asleep, too drunk to consent, or have taken drugs.

Visit the Consent is Everything website for more on consent.

Myths about rape and sexual assault

There are many common myths about consent, rape and sexual assault that can put people off getting the help they need or reporting it.

We don't believe these myths and we won't doubt you because of them.