Consent is an agreement between people to engage in sexual activity.

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To consent to a sexual activity means to agree freely. If something happens "against your will" it means you did not agree to it -you did not give your consent.

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REMEMBER:

Just because you didn't say no
Doesn't mean that you said yes.
Consenting to one kind of sexual activity 
Does not mean consenting to everything.

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There are many ways to give consent:

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• Saying “yes,” “sure” or “I’ll try it” to certain activities

• Checking in with your partner and asking “is this okay?”

• Using physical cues to show you are comfortable (ex. nodding your head yes, smiling)

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WHAT IS THE AGE OF CONSENT IN CANADA?

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Sexual contact with someone who is 16 years or older is legal - if they agree to it.

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In certain situations, people must be 18 to consent to sexual activity, namely:

• If it involves pornography or prostitution

• If they are paid/offered payment for sexual activity

• If there is anal sex (unless they are legally married

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What about people under the age of 16?

• A 14 or 15 year old can consent to sexual activity with someone less than 5 years older

• A 12 or 13 year old can consent to sexual activity with someone less than 2 years older.

• *Note: Children under the age of 12 can never legally consent under any circumstance.
   

Consent does NOT look like this:
 

• If somebody refuses to accept “no” for an answer

• If somebody assumes that you want to have sex just because you dress or look a certain way

• If somebody assumes that you want to have sex just because you flirted with them or kissed them

• If somebody pressures you into sexual activity by scaring or intimidating you

• If somebody assumes that you want to engage in sexual activity with you them because you did in the past

• Engaging in sexual activity with somebody who is under the legal age of consent

• Engaging in sexual activity with somebody who is drunk or high

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Sexual assault is a CRIME. It does NOT matter if the person who assaulted you is someone you are dating/married to, someone you want to have sex with, or someone you have had sex with before.

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It is not legal consent for sex if you or the other person are:

• Drunk or high

• Unconscious

• Mentally or physically incapacitated

• Threatened or bullied

• An immediate family member

• Under 16 years of age, and the other person is in a position of trust (eg. Coach, teacher, doctor, etc)

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