What is Consent?

“Affirmative Consent” is a knowing, voluntary, and mutual decision among all participants to engage in sexual activity.

Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create clear permission regarding willingness to engage in the sexual activity. Silence or lack of resistance, in and of itself, does not demonstrate consent. The definition of consent does not vary based upon a participant's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

• Consent to any sexual act or prior consensual sexual activity between or with any party does not necessarily constitute consent to any other sexual act.
• Consent is required regardless of whether the person initiating the act is under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
• Consent may be initially given but withdrawn at any time.
• Consent cannot be given when a person is incapacitated, and a reasonable person knows or should have known that such person is incapacitated. Incapacitation occurs when an individual lacks the ability to knowingly choose to participate in sexual activity. Incapacitation may be caused by the lack of consciousness or being asleep, being involuntarily restrained, or if an individual otherwise cannot consent. Depending on the degree of intoxication, someone who is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants may be incapacitated and therefore unable to consent.
• Consent cannot be given when it is the result of any coercion, intimidation, force, or threat of harm.
• When consent is withdrawn or can no longer be given, sexual activity must stop.

Definitions of Sexual Violence

The DCC Code of Conduct prohibits sexual violence and defines the various acts constituting sexual violence as follows:

Sexual Assault

• Sexual intercourse or any sexual penetration, however slight, of another person’s oral, anal, or genital opening with any object (an object includes but is not limited to parts of a person’s body) without the active consent of the victim.
• Touching a person’s intimate parts (defined as genitalia, groin, breast, or buttocks), whether directly or through clothing, without the active consent of the victim. Sexual assault also includes forcing an unwilling person to touch another’s intimate parts.

Sexual Exploitation

Non-consensual, abusive sexual behavior that does not otherwise constitute Sexual Assault or Sexual Harassment. Examples include but are not limited to: intentional, non-consensual tampering with or removal of condoms or other methods of birth control and STI prevention prior to or during sexual contact in a manner that significantly increases the likelihood of STI contraction and/or pregnancy by the non-consenting party; non-consensual video or audio taping of sexual activity; allowing others to watch consensual or non-consensual sexual activity without the consent of a sexual partner; observing others engaged in dressing/undressing or in sexual acts without their knowledge or consent; trafficking people to be sold for sex; and inducing incapacitation with the intent to sexually assault another person.

Learn More

• Sexual Harassment & Violence Policy
• Student Code of Conduct
• Make an Anonymous Report