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Consent is Sexy: Office Of Violence Prevention Speaks to UGA Students

by Helen Bennett
09/24/2007

During the first fifteen minutes of the “Consent is Sexy” discussion, a video clip was shown to warm up the students to the idea.

At least 50 students were present for the Wednesday night discussion of sexual health and consent put on by Larry Gourdine and Kyle Dietz in the Student Learning Center.

The focus of the clip was the importance and difficulty of communication about sexual health and legal consent in a relationship.

Students learned that consent is a process, and in order to complete the process effectively, both parties must give a clear, verbal ‘yes.'

According to Georgia law, the clear, verbal ‘yes’ does not mean consent when given with a Blood Aclohol Content above .05. Legal consent cannot be given in an intoxicated state where one or both individuals are incapacitated due to drugs or alcohol.

Consent must be given for each encounter and is never to be assumed.

“You have the right to say no at any point in time,” said Gourdine, Relationship & Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator from the Office for Violence Prevention (OVP).

If ‘yes’ is given once, it does not guarantee consent later.

According to the speakers, with all these legal logistics hanging over their heads, young adults today don’t realize the options or rights they have, they get uncomfortable, and just go along with the situation.

This feeling of awkwardness makes it difficult for teens to communicate, especially when it is packaged with stereotypes and double standards.

The discussion ended with the speakers giving the advice that when legal consent is an issue in relationships, it is only ‘practice that makes perfect.’

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