What Consent Really Means
Launch library · evergreen read
Consent is a clear, freely given agreement to something, and it needs to be present before anything happens, never assumed afterward. It sounds simple, yet in daily life it gets skipped over more often than people realise. This applies to borrowing something, sharing a photo, or being physically close to another person. This is true whether the relationship is brand new or many years old.
Genuine consent is specific to the moment and the activity in front of you. Agreeing to one thing does not mean agreeing to another, and something agreed to once does not carry forward automatically. Checking in, even briefly, keeps everyone on the same page and shows that the other person's comfort genuinely matters.
If a conversation about consent ever brings up something heavier for you, support is close by and easy to reach. 1800RESPECT is available every hour of the day and night on 1800 737 732, and Lifeline can be reached on 13 11 14 whenever you need someone to talk things through with.