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Thames Valley Police is working to raise awareness and understanding of sexual consent.
The force is working in partnership with Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre, Rape Crisis Wycombe and Oxford University Students Union, as part of The Thames Valley Sexual Violence Prevention Group.
Support is available for those who have experienced sexual abuse and rape:
Sexual consent is where a person has the freedom to agree to sexual activity. It is vital the person instigating sex makes sure their partner is participating freely and readily.
To have sex without consent is to commit rape.
Follow #ConsentisEverything and visit the Consent is Everything website.
Understanding consent is simple and this short video featured below explains why.
Responsibility for rape rests solely with the perpetrator. The below attributes do not automatically mean consent to sex.
If you think one or both people are incapable of consenting step in and say something before it goes too far.
Other things can also affect a person’s capacity to consent, for example a serious mental health problem, learning disability or a head injury.
Having capacity means the person can make and communicate a decision, understand the consequences and know they have a choice. If they cannot do this, they cannot give consent.
Partners have the right to withdraw their consent at any time.
Once consent is withdrawn sexual activity must stop immediately. To continue is to commit a crime.
Make sure you have Sexual Consent
The person seeking or instigating sex can confirm if they have consent both verbally and by checking the other person’s body language.
If they do not have consent, or the other person is not capable of giving consent, they must stop.
You should:
Rape is a crime.
It happens to men and women. Rape occurs when a person penetrates another person’s mouth, anus or vagina with their penis without consent.
If someone initially agrees to have sex, but later withdraws their consent and the other person continues anyway, that person will have committed rape.
Being drunk or on drugs is not a defence.
Being accused of rape has life-changing consequences:
If you’re still struggling with consent just imagine instead of initiating sex you’re making them a cup of tea. Animation courtesy of Emmeline May at rockstardinosaurpirateprincess.com and Blue Seat Studios. Copyright © 2015 RockStarDinosaurPiratePrincess and Blue Seat Studios. Images are Copyright ©2015 Blue Seat Studios.