In America, sex is everywhere. It's ingrained in our media, including television shows, music, and movies. Characters on television shows have no issue talking about their sexual exploits, or getting a girl drunk to get them to sleep with them. In movies, the lead is often seen chasing or stalking the seemingly unattainable love interest, only to have them eventually give in and go out with them. However, this media neglects a very important part of any sexual relationship by furthering these tropes- consent.
Consent is one of the many places where American sexual education is failing its youth, even though it is arguably the most important thing to know in regards to sex. In 2015, California became the first state to implement required sexual consent lessons in high school. In fact, only 24 states require sexual education to be taught in public schools at all- and only 20 of those require it to be medically accurate.
What is Consent?
Consent is a very simple concept. In order for a person to consent to sex, they must be sober, over eighteen, and give an enthusiastic yes! at every step of the sexual encounter. This means that just because a person has consented to one act does not mean they're consenting to all acts, or that they are consenting to the act at a later time. In a healthy sexual encounter, whether that encounter is a one night stand or part of a long term relationship, consent always has to be given. Yes, even if you've had sex before. Even if you just had sex an hour ago. A lot of people think it's weird or awkward to ask someone questions such as "can I kiss you?" or "Can I take off your shirt?" every time they progress to another step in their encounter. However, it's still less awkward than, say, getting reported for sexual assault.
Sexual Assault on College Campuses
For many students, college may be the first time they have the ability to talk about and learn about consent in an open, honest way. Recently, a significant amount of colleges have been undergoing investigations involving how they handle Title IX and Clery cases- namely, sexual assault. Title IX was originally created in order to stop discrimination within sports teams, but has been expanded in recent years to include all forms of gender discrimination, which includes sexual assault and harassment. The Clery Act was developed after the murder of a college student, Jeanne Clery was swept under the rug at her university. The necessity of the act was demonstrated by her parents Connie and Howard Clery. It mandated that all Title IX cases be reported, and that the statistical information from this must be be made available to the general public in an annual security report. Although the reporting of sexual assault cases is mandatory, colleges all over the country are still struggling with investigations due to under-reporting.
Although the outlook for reporting of sexual assault on campuses is a bit hazy at this point, teaching students consent at a younger age would set the schools on the right path. With education on consent, what is and isn't sexual assault is a lot more clear. Some schools are making headway with programs such as women's and men's centers, which can now allow the students to have a place to report that may feel safer or less threatening than going directly to the police, while still knowing that action can be taken. These programs can also provide education on consent, as well as other important components of relationships. Sexual assault may never be wiped out completely, but with proper education, this generation can take a few steps in the right direction.
