Effective consent

Effective consent is active, not passive.  Silence, in and of itself, cannot be interpreted as consent.  Effective consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create mutually understandable permission regarding the conditions of sexual activity —who, what, when, where, why and how sexual activity will take place.  In order to be effective, consent cannot be procured by use of physical force, compelling threats, intimidating behavior, or coercion.  Coercive behavior differs from seductive behavior based on the type of pressure someone uses to get consent from another. When someone makes clear to you that they do not want sex, that they want to stop, or that they do not want to go past a certain point of sexual interaction, continued pressure beyond that point can be coercive.  In Arkansas, the age of consent is 16 years of age.

Incapacitation

If you have sexual activity with someone you know to be—or should know to be—mentally or physically incapacitated (alcohol or other drug use, unconsciousness or blackout), you are in violation of this policy.   

• Any time sexual activity takes place between individuals, those individuals must be capable of controlling their physical actions and be capable of making rational, reasonable decisions about their sexual behavior.   

• This policy also covers someone whose incapacity results from mental disability, sleep, involuntary physical restraint, or from the taking of a so-called “date-rape” drug.  Possession, use and/or distribution of any of these substances, including Rohypnol, Ketomine, GHB, Burundanga, etc. is prohibited, and administering one of these drugs to another student for the purpose of inducing incapacity is a violation of this policy.  More information on these drugs can be found at http://www.911rape.org/.

            • Use of alcohol or other drugs will never function to excuse behavior that violates this policy.

Sexual Orientation

The requirements of this policy are blind to the sexual orientation or preference of individuals engaging in sexual activity.   

Sexual Activity

• Intentional contact with the breasts, buttock, groin, or genitals, or touching another with any of these body parts, or making another touch you or themselves with or on any of these body parts; an intentional bodily contact in a sexual manner, though not involving contact with/of/by breasts, buttocks, groin, genitals, mouth or other orifice.

• Intercourse however slight, meaning vaginal penetration by a penis, object, tongue or finger, anal penetration by a penis, object, tongue, or finger, and oral copulation (mouth to genital contact or genital to mouth contact).