Consent is a voluntary and sober agreement to engage in every step of a sexual activity. The absence of a verbal “no” does not indicate consent. If consent is not present then a sexual assault has been committed. Consent can be withheld at any point and must be given for each act along the path. Individuals who are intoxicated cannot give consent. Even if permission to have sexual activity is gained through force, an imbalance of power, use of coercion, the threat of violence or is perpetrated against someone who is not able to give consent, because that individual is sleep, incapacitated, unconscious, legally intoxicated or a minor, consent is not actually given.
For more information about consent please visit http://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/sas/sexual-assault.html. To contact a 24 hour NOVA Sexual Assault Services coordinator for free confidential support, please call 703.338.0834 or email NOVA.SAS@nvcc.edu.