Only Yes Means Yes
The goal of the consent education campaign is to create clear communication initiatives in order to allow students to understand consent in a variety of situations.
Consent Definition
There is a lack of consent if a person engages in a sexual act with another person by forcible compulsion or with a person who is incapable of consent because he or she is physically helpless, mentally defective, or mentally incapacitated. Arkansas Code §§ 5-14-103; 5-14-125.
Mentally Defective
“Mentally defective” means that a person suffers from a mental disease or defect that renders the
person incapable of understanding the nature and consequences of a sexual act, or unaware a sexual act is occurring.Mentally Incapacitated
“Mentally incapacitated” means that a person is temporarily incapable of appreciating or controlling the person's conduct as a result of the influence of a controlled or intoxicating substance administered to the person without the person's consent, or that renders the person unaware a sexual act is occurring.
Physically Helpless
“Physically helpless” means that a person is: unconscious; physically unable to communicate a lack of consent; or rendered unaware that a sexual act is occurring.
Consent in a Relationship
Consent is important in every relationship, even in friendships. To help better illustrate what consent is, our FRIES Model shows this to you.
First and foremost, consent is Freely Given. One should never feel as if they are forced into doing anything. If consent is not Freely Given, then it is not consent.
Consent is also Reversible. This means that it can be taken away at any time, even in the middle of doing something your partner previously consented to doing.
Consent is also Informed. You must be informed of all activities towards which you are consenting. Consent to one thing does not imply consent to another.
Consent should be Enthusiastic. If someone does not seem enthusiastic about their consent, then it is not consent.
Finally, consent needs to be Specific. Consent is specific only to a certain situation and activity. You must receive specific consent for each individual activity in which you are involved in with another person.