Office for Institutional Equity

Consent is Required

CSU policy prohibits sexual violence by requiring affirmative consent for sexual activity. Consent is clear communication given by words or actions that shows an active, knowing and voluntary agreement to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity. Consent is sexual communication: “Do you want me to kiss you?”; “Do you want to do this?”; “Is this it O.K.?”; “What do you want to do?”. "I like this.", "More.", "Yes, please.", "Again." Consent is NOT: "Stop", "I'm not ready", "Wait", "Let's just go to sleep", "Maybe", "If you want to do it", "No", "I don't think so."

Consent must be given by your partner freely. That means, you can't badger your partner until your partner agrees to sex. And you certainly can't threaten your partner to obtain your partner's consent. No Consent exists when there is a threat of force, abuse of power or physical or psychological manipulation or violence. Consent is absent when an individual is incapacitated by drugs or alcohol, or some other reason, or asleep. If your partner is too drunk to drive, then they are too drunk to consent to sexual activity, and you may not be able to rely on your partner's "yes to sex" if your partner passed out immediately thereafter or was unable to walk a straight line 10 minutes before. If your partner withdraws consent, all sexual activity must stop.

Silence is never consent. If you can't point to something your partner did to indicate that your partner gave consent to your sexual activity, then you need to check in with your partner so that you know for certain exactly what your partner did to communicate consent every step of the way during sexual activity.

“Sexual violence” is prohibited by University policy. Sexual violence is conduct of a sexual nature or conduct based on sex or gender that occurs without affirmative consent or when an individual is incapable of giving affirmative consent. Acts of sexual violence are forms of sex- and gender-based discrimination and harassment. Sexual violence includes sexual assault, sexual exploitation, relationship violence, domestic abuse and stalking.

Sexual assault is sexual contact or sexual intercourse without affirmative consent. Grabbing someones groin or breast without asking first or otherwise getting consent is sexual assault. It might seem like a small issue to you, but none of us ever knows exactly what experiences a person has had or whether that lack of consent might be the last straw or what that lack of consent might trigger.

Sexual exploitation is: causing someone to become incapable of giving (or withholding) consent; allowing another to observe sexual activity or observing sexual activity without consent; sharing videos or pictures of sexual activity (such as on social media) without consent; and other activity.

Relationship violence or domestic abuse is violence or the threat of violence by a person towards another with whom is shared a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature, and includes sexual, financial, emotional, psychological or other coercion or abuse even without physical violence. Some types of relationship violence don't involve physical violence. Relationship violence occurs when one partner destroys the other's cell phone or computer, or knocks over a desk or throws a plate in front ot their partner, whether or not anyone is injured,

Stalking is conduct directed at a specific individual that would cause a reasonable person, if aware of the conduct, to fear for her, his or others’ safety, or to suffer substantial emotional distress.