Consent is the difference-maker between a safe sexual encounter and sexual violence; having a thorough understanding of consent is critical for both empathizing with survivors of sexual assault and abuse and the prevention of further sexual violence.

 

Consent is agreement or permission expressed through affirmative, voluntary words or actions that are mutually understandable to all parties involved, to engage in a specific sexual act at a specific time. Consent can be withdrawn at any time, as long as it is clearly communicated.

 

Consent has age restrictions depending on the country that you live in; in Canada, the age of consent is 16 years old. 12-15 year olds can also consent to sexual activity in certain circumstances, but there are further protective factors that must also be met with youth.

 

See the graph in the infographic for detailed information about the close-in-age exception law.