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Sexual Consent Norms in a Sexually Diverse Sample
Emily A Harris1, Thekla Morgenroth2, Damien L Crone3
1Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia. harrise1@unimelb.edu.au.
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|November 28, 2023
Summary
Sexual consent norms vary across diverse groups. BDSM practitioners view explicit consent as more common and less disruptive than sexual majority members, highlighting potential shifts in consent behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Sexuality Studies
Background:
- Sexual consent has gained public attention since the #MeToo movement.
- Sexual consent has historically been integral to Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadism, and Masochism (BDSM) practices.
- Understanding consent norms across diverse sexual groups is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine and compare sexual consent norms among BDSM practitioners, sexual minorities (e.g., swingers, sex workers), and sexual majority individuals.
- To investigate perceptions of consent discussion frequency and sexual disruptiveness across these groups.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed a diverse sample: 116 BDSM practitioners, 114 sexual minority members, and 158 sexual majority members.
- Assessed perceptions of explicit consent prevalence and the disruptiveness of consent discussions.
- Included an open-ended question about recent sexual experiences with new partners.
Main Results:
- BDSM practitioners reported explicit consent as more descriptively normative for both BDSM and non-BDSM activities compared to sexual majority participants.
- BDSM participants found consent discussions less sexually disruptive than sexual majority participants.
- No significant group differences were found in the perceived necessity of discussing sexual consent.
Conclusions:
- Significant variability exists in sexual consent norms between BDSM practitioners and sexual majority individuals.
- Findings suggest potential for shifting sexual consent behaviors within the sexual majority group.
- The study underscores the importance of nuanced understanding of consent across different sexual communities.
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