Relationships and Sex Education for Secondary Schools (2020). Samuel Stones

account, adolescence can be a time when friendships and family relationships are tested to their limits.

      

      CONSENT

      Consent is often understood within the context of sexual relationships. However, consent should underpin all healthy relationships, including friendships. A clear definition of consent is provided below:

       Consent is agreement which is given willingly and freely without exploitation, threat or fear, and by a person who has the capacity to give their agreement.

      (PSHE Association, 2015, p 6)

      A person consents to something if they agree by choice, and if they possess the freedom and capacity to make that choice. The concept of sexual consent is addressed in Chapter 7. Consent is underpinned by some key principles. These are outlined below.

       It is the person seeking consent who is responsible (ethically and legally) for ensuring that consent is given by another person, and for ensuring that that person has the freedom and capacity to give their consent.

       If consent is not clear, informed, willing and active, it must be assumed that consent has not been given. If consent is not clearly given, or is given and then subsequently retracted, this decision must always be respected. Since people can change their minds, or consent to one thing but not to something else, the seeker of consent must keep assessing whether consent is clear, informed, willing and active. Consent must be seen as an ongoing process, not a ‘one-off’.

       In healthy relationships, both parties respectfully seek each other’s consent and know that their decision to give or not give consent will be respected. A person is never to blame if their decision not to give consent or to withdraw consent is not respected.

      (PSHE Association, 2015, p 3)