On Thursday 26 June, the European Parliament’s Directorate-General for Citizens’ Rights, Justice and Institutional Affairs published a report commissioned by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) to explain to legislators and other political representatives both the teaching of sexual consent and what should be understood by this concept.
This document, presented ahead of the parliamentary workshop on ‘Consent-based rape legislation in the EU’ on 19 May, provides an overview of the existing literature and educational initiatives based on specific data.
The study also goes against a simplistic approach to the issue to highlight the complexity of sexual consent, both in its conceptualisation and in its communication, which is often indirect and non-verbal and strongly linked to gender norms.
It also calls for a clear distinction to be made between consent and desire, whereas these two concepts are often confused in public discourse. Furthermore, “policies, legislation and educational programmes should take this complexity and distinction into account”.
In addition, the authors of the report argue that formulating and/or considering consent is not enough to prevent sexual violence.
And with good reason: while consent is necessary, it is far from sufficient. It guarantees neither the absence of coercion nor the existence of a real desire.
The research cited in the report shows that a multitude of systemic and individual factors, such as attitudes linked to rape stereotypes, heteronormative norms, low self-esteem, impulsivity and power relationships, contribute to sexual violence.
For the authors of the report, this means “raising the bar”. In this sense, sex education cannot simply teach consent.
It must be part of a transformative process that questions gender norms and stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. The report also calls for comprehensive and critical sexual education - particularly concerning traditional and social media, as well as digital technologies - and it should be contextualised to thoroughly change the sexual culture and thereby prevent violence.
Read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/hor (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)