General Welsh and the Reason for Sexual Assault

I wrote this on Medium.com, about how the General didn't get it, did not understand rape myths and basically blamed the victim, or our "permissive society." There are so many untruths about relationships, and men in particular are socialized in ways that empower them to aggress in sexual ways.

So read this one for more on that. The General and Rape Myths

Informed Consent

About informed consent for sex. This is a clean video. I like it.



To review the main points, which go beyond No Means No:

1. People need to be "of age" or sex is a crime. The age differs from state to state

2. If either or both individuals are impaired by alcohol, even if they are of an age to consent, they can't-- they're impaired, should talk about it before they become impaired, or not at all.

3. Consent should be given given freely, with enthusiasm, not be coaxed or coerced in anyway. 

4. Even if a person says Yes in one moment, consent can be taken back, reconsidered, denied, and that's as it should be. The new "No" needs to be respected, not the old "Yes". 

5. Consent is about specific behaviors, it is not global. So someone might not mind doing one thing, but does mind doing another, and that's the way it should go. Force and assumptions in sex are against the law, even if a couple are married or in a committed partnership.

6.  Consent on one day does not mean consent on another, or in the future. 

7.  Silence, sleep, is not consent.

Linda Freedman, PhD, founder of Relationship-Wise.