Consent
Consent requires the voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity. An individual must actively and willingly give consent to sexual activity. Simply stated, sexual activity without consent is sexual assault. "No one consents to being sexually assaulted." Consent:
- Is never assumed or implied;
- Is not silence or the absence of "no";
- Cannot be given if the person is impaired by alcohol or drugs, is unconscious or asleep;
- Can never be obtained through threats or coercion;
- Can be revoked at any time;
- Cannot be obtained if the perpetrator abuses a position of trust, power or authority;
- Might not be given properly if an individual has a condition that limits his or her verbal or physical means of interaction - in such instances, it is extremely important to determine how consent will be established.
Examples of what does NOT constitute consent
- "You’re not my type."
- "Not now."
- "I don’t know if I’m ready."
- "Please stop."
- "I don’t really know if I want to."
- Doing nothing
- Silence
- Getting into someone’s vehicle
- Going inside someone’s residence
Find out more
To learn more about consent, please watch the video Consent: It's simple as tea on YouTube.
Video
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NOTICE: COVID-19
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In order to minimize potential COVID-19 exposure, the Human Rights Office will carry-out its appointments and meetings by distance until further notice. Our mailboxes are checked several times during office hours. To speed up the processing of your request, we recommend submitting it by email at respect@uOttawa.ca. A Human Rights Office staff member will soon be in contact with you to set-up an appointment by phone, or via an adapted remote meeting format.
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If this is an emergency, please call Protection Services at 613-562-5411.
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Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,
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The Human Rights Office
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Tools and resources
Please note that the feminine is used throughout this website, but it does not exclude any person who has been a victim of sexual violence.