Consent When Alcohol Is Involved
Launch library · evergreen read
Alcohol can affect a person's ability to think clearly, communicate what they want, and recognise risk in the moment. When someone is significantly affected, they may not be in a genuine position to give informed consent, no matter what they say or how the moment unfolds. It removes so much of the guesswork from a difficult moment.
The safest approach is caution: checking in more, not less, when drinking is involved, and being willing to pause or wait until everyone is clear headed. If there is any doubt about whether someone can genuinely consent, the respectful choice is always to stop, step back, and wait. It is worth practising even in low stakes, everyday situations.
These situations can be confusing to navigate afterward, and it is completely fine to want guidance working through them. 1800RESPECT is available every hour of the day on 1800 737 732, and Lifeline is on 13 11 14 whenever you need to talk it through. It is completely okay to take things one small step at a time.