Pratisandhi

What Is The ‘Line of Consent’

The ” Line of Consent [ LOC ]; A Yes ”   is determined by an affirmative verbal expression between two or more non-intoxicated adults who are about to engage in some form of sexual activity which is completely regardless of their gender identity.

What is a ‘YES’?

A No is Not a Yes; A Maybe is Not a Yes;  An innocent yet awkward silence is Not a Yes but what the Line Of Consent [LOC] is determined by is a definite ‘Yes.’

Furthermore, this consent of Yes can certainly be withdrawn while being engaged during the course of sexual activity or even intercourse if one of the participants involved is no longer inclined towards it.

Yes is not an assumption

People often make several assumptions while engaging in the process of sexual intimacy or intercourse. But it is important to remember that, regardless of the situation, permission and assumptions are two quite different phenomena. 

Entertaining an affirmative yes for one act should not be assumed for consent for another act.

For example:

  • Receiving permission to kiss your partner does not give you any power or consent to remove their clothes, and similarly, receiving an affirmative response for removing their clothes does not include permission to engage in sexual activity or intercourse

  • Marriage does not grant one the right to engage in sexual intercourse whenever they like. Mutual consent is therefore very important every time, irrespective of the number of times the two have been previously engaged.

  • Their attire does not determine whether they are willing or not.
  • In addition to this, if a person is alone with you and you think that they seem to be interested in engaging in any kind of sexual copulation do realize that ” they might not “.

Even in our day-to-day lives, participants often find the so-called assumed and normalized act of hugging and kissing uncomfortable, but the other person involved may assume and move forward without their consent or willingness, frequently placing them in an uncomfortable situation.

Questions one can ask their partners to confirm consent

The key to consent thus lies in reassuring, comforting, and probing questions that are completely irrespective of the progress of the process of sexual contact.

For example:

》 If they seem interested you can pose questions like 

  • Am I too close to you?
  • Are you comfortable with hugging or kissing?

》 While engaging in intercourse one should reassure or ask questions like

  • Are you fine? 
  • Are you comfortable with it? 
  • Are you getting hurt or is it the pain to bear? 
  • Do you want to continue or not? 

Conclusion

The key to consent also resides in providing or creating a safe environment for the other participant, where they are not only reassured but are also able to freely communicate and express themselves; in instances where they may not want to continue but are hesitant of upsetting their partner or being judged.

Good communication between the two participants involved is thus another crucial component of creating this safe haven.

An affirmative expression is thus as important as creating that safe environment where your partner can positively or negatively revert and express their willingness to act in this growing age of consent.

In addition to this, a number of laws have been put into place to prosecute those responsible for violating your Line of Consent if you feel like you have been forced into an unwanted circumstance or a case of rape. Even though the execution seems passive, it will undoubtedly change if everyone speaks out in unity in support of the victim

Consent is therefore not only a crucial element of the pleasure game but also a powerful medium for respecting boundaries as well as the willingness of the partner and making it easier for them to say ” No.”

Written by: Muskan Rawat

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