Sexual Decision-Making: Choice, Consent, Health, and Personal Values
Sexual decision-making is the process of considering desire, boundaries, information, values, risks, and consequences before making sexual choices.
Sexual decision-making is the process of considering desire, boundaries, information, values, risks, and consequences before making sexual choices.
Sexual refusal is the communication that a person does not want to begin, continue, or participate in a particular sexual activity.
Nonverbal consent is voluntary agreement communicated through clear gestures, actions, signs, body movement, or assistive communication rather than spoken words.
Freely given consent is voluntary agreement made without coercion, threats, manipulation, persistent pressure, or fear of harmful consequences.
Specific consent is voluntary agreement to a clearly identified activity, person, time, and set of circumstances rather than broad permission.
Reversible consent means a person may change or withdraw agreement to an intimate or sexual activity at any time, even after it begins.
The FRIES consent model defines consent as Freely Given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, and Specific.
Consent culture is a social environment that treats bodily autonomy, clear communication, voluntary agreement, and respect for personal boundaries as normal.
A consent check-in is a brief confirmation used during intimacy to make sure everyone remains comfortable, willing, and interested in continuing.
Learn what digital consent means and why permission for messages, recordings, images, personal data, intimate media, and online sharing must be specific.