The “I Ask, I Listen, I Respect” JHU consent campaign was designed to resonate with community members, with an emphasis on consent throughout sexual and intimate activity. The goal is to better socialize and teach the following behaviors:
We hope all members of the JHU community will participate in the campaign by sharing materials and requesting or hosting events. Visit the campaign webpage to see how you can become involved.
Simply put, consent is uncoerced permission to interact with the body or the life of another person.
It is up to all of us to ASK our partners about what they like and their boundaries; to LISTEN to what our partners share about what they are comfortable with and how they would like to experience pleasure and joy; and to RESPECT the boundaries our partners share around their bodies and lives, and their expectations around pleasure and joy.
It is up to all of us to ASK our partners what they like, what they are comfortable with, what would make experiences pleasurable and joyful, and what their boundaries are. Check in and ask partners how they are feeling before and during sex and intimacy. This can sound like:
It is up to all of us to LISTEN to our partners to make sure we understand what they like, what they are comfortable with, what their boundaries are, and what they have given permissions for. Listen to partners to make sure they are comfortable and enjoying our sex and intimacy. If they are expressing uncertainty or discomfort, it’s time to stop and check in. Here are some things we can be listening for:
It is up to all of us to RESPECT our partner’s boundaries, to make space for them to comfortably tell us “no” and to change their minds, and to equally prioritize their pleasure and joy with our own. Respect partners pleasure and their boundaries during sex and intimacy. If at any time they seem uncomfortable or no longer excited about what is going on, stop and check in with them. This can look like:
Consent is:
Coercion can look like
The University’s definition of consent can be found in the Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures.
There are a variety of ways folks can have romantic, sexual, or other intimate relationships. Intimate relationships are relationships where the folks involved are somehow vulnerable with one another. Folks can be vulnerable in many ways including physically, emotionally, and mentally. In healthy relationships, all partners take time to make sure each other is emotionally and physically safe, their boundaries are respected, and consent is prioritized.
You are welcome to use and share the following materials. If you use them on social media, please add the hashtag #ConsentAtJHU.
For more information, to request materials, and to request programming around consent, please follow this link or email Alyse Campbell at [email protected].