Consent means agreeing to (that is, saying Yes through your words or body) to sexual activity.

Here are some examples of situations where there is no consent:

• You did not say Yes
• You are tricked, bullied or threatened until you say Yes
• You are too scared to say No
• You are drunk or high
• You are asleep or unconsious
• You said yes, but then you changed your mind and say No
• The other person is a family member – for example, father, aunt, grandfather, cousin
• The other person is a professional – for example, teacher, doctor, interpreter – employed to help you.

Without consent, it is sexual violence.

Veuillez trouver ci-dessous des ressources en français sur le consentement et la violence sexuelle.

https://educaloi.qc.ca/capsules/quest-ce-quune-agression-sexuelle/

https://www.teljeunes.com/Tel-jeunes/Tous-les-themes/Sexualite/Consentement-agression-sexuelle

https://tracons-les-limites.ca/

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Myth Vs. Mythbusters Dispelling Rape Culture Myths

iSafe Infographic

Sexual Violence Infographic

Myth #1: Rape is most likely to be committed by a stranger.

Fact: Only 10% of rapes are committed by strangers; 90% are known, and usually trusted by the individual.

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Myth #2: Girls play “hard to get” and say no when they really mean yes.

Fact: It’s important to listen to what a person actually says about their interest in sexual activity:

• Don’t make assumptions about others
• It is safer to not make a guess about what you think they want
• When in doubt, it’s best to ask (“Are you okay with this?” “Do you like what we are doing” “Do you want me to wait/pause/stop?”)
• Remember: Without the other person’s consent (agreement), it is sexual violence.

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Myth #3: If a girl was drunk or wore something sexy, she was asking to be sexually assaulted.

Fact: Sexual violence is never the fault or the responsibility of the survivor/victim. It does not matter what they were wearing, or what they were doing. We are each responsible for ensuring we have the consent of others in situations of sexual activity. If a person cannot get the other person’s consent (agreement), it is sexual violence.

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Myth #4: Sometimes people lie about sexual assault because they regret having sex, or want to get someone else into trouble.

Fact: False allegations of sexual assault are very rare. In fact, it is far more common that victims are not believed when they disclose their experiences of sexual violence.

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Myth #5: Men cannot be sexually violated. Women don’t commit sexual offences.

Fact: While women, girls, boys and trans and gender-non-binary people are more likely to be targeted for acts of sexual violence, men can also be sexually violated. While men are most commonly the perpetrators of sexual violence, women can also perpetrate sexual violence.

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Myth #6: If two people have had sex together in the past, there is already consent to have sex again in the future.

Fact: Sexual consent is active and ongoing. This means that saying Yes to sexual activity one time does not mean you are saying Yes to sexual activity in the future. For example, you have the right to:

• Have sexual relations with someone on Friday night (as an example), and then say no to sexual relations with them on Monday
• Have sexual relations with someone once, and then never again
• Say yes, but then change your mind and say No