Sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape were all over the news in 2017 and are showing no signs of moving out of the spotlight in 2018. A positive thing that has come from all of this is that people are finally talking about consent.

Consent is something that should be the basis of every sexual encounter. Still, not many people seem to understand what consent is. Consent, most importantly, isn’t just a lack of a “no.”

There are many reason why the lack of a “no” isn’t enough. A person can be incapable of saying no because they’re drunk or asleep. They could feel pressured and feel like they can’t say no. Or they could be terrified of saying no in fear of facing violent backlash.

Consent can be taken back at any point during sex. Removing a condom or other STD and birth control prevention items is a violation of consent.

Consent is an enthusiastic and freely given “yes.” If you aren’t completely certain the person you’re sleeping with is into what’s going on, ask.

“Do you like that?”

“Does this feel good?”

These are perfect questions to make sure your partner is into everything that’s going on.

It’s good to talk about boundaries beforehand. Don’t be afraid to say what you don’t want to happen during sex. Talk about what kind of birth control and STD prevention you want to use.

Paying attention to your partner’s needs keeps everyone feeling safe and satisfied.