Exploring Sexual Consent Among Greek Young Adults

Abstract Understanding how sexual consent is shared and recognized between partners is critical for healthy relationships and identifying consensual and non-consensual encounters. Cultural context is of foundational importance in the communication of a variety of activities including sexual consent. This comparative case study examines sexual consent communication, interpretation, and conceptualization among a sample of young adults in Greece. Participants described a recent sexual encounter and responded to semi-structured interview questions focused on how they communicated, interpreted, and conceptualized sexual consent. Vibe—the perceived sexual tension in the atmosphere before a sexual encounter; Anxiety—feelings of anxiety concerning their partner’s satisfaction and enjoyment during the sexual interaction; Discussing Boundaries—how individuals articulate their consent or non-consent; and Reciprocation—the matching of one’s participation level to that of their partner in a sexual encounter. Sexual consent is a negotiated communication between individuals, embedded within a cultural context. Understanding the lived experience of how sexual consent occurs and the role of culture in that process can help refine sexual consent training and policies across several institutions, most notably within higher education.