Want sex? Sign on the dotted line

20 July 2015 - 02:02 By Nivashni Nair

Forget foreplay. Sign this contract instead. Sexual consent kits, complete with a condom, pen, breath mints and a sex contract, are being distributed to universities throughout the US where consensual sex between students on campuses is a heated topic.Advocacy group Affirmative Consent Project, has drawn up a contract which reads: "YES! We agree to have SEX!"Both parties have to sign, agreeing to have consensual sex with one another and are encouraged to take a photograph of themselves.For the techno savvy, a smartphone application brought to users by another group allows couples to record consent by stating their names on camera.They can then get busy when the app responds with "consent confirmed".But South African university students are not turned on by the idea.Business management student Tyrone Hill said the concept was ridiculous."I can understand the concern over sex on campuses due to incidents of rape but in my view these contracts are making a mockery of consent because what happens if one party changes their mind after signing the contract?"A Cape Town student, who wanted to be identified only as Siya, said: "It would just be awkward. It also would take away the spontaneity of the act."Second-year psychology student at University of KwaZulu-Natal, Saranya Devan, said: "Given the spontaneous nature of young adults who are more driven by emotional needs rather than considering the long-term ramifications, I am not sure whether sex contracts will become popular on local campuses."Sexologist Professor Elna McIntosh said the contracts could protect both parties, be it from rape or being falsely accused of rape.Lawyer Peter Jordi said that, while usually consent is given verbally: "As far as I know, it has been suggested that at some universities in America it is to be policy that sexual intercourse will be presumed to be without consent unless written consent is obtained."He said: "We all know that sexual intercourse sometimes takes place without too much forethought and the law may well be brought into disrepute if people who we know had sexual intercourse with consent are subsequently prosecuted."He added that the problem was that consent can be withdrawn."It could be withdrawn after it is given, but before sexual intercourse takes place or during the [act]. The written consent may make it harder to suggest later that it was withdrawn."..

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