# Lack of affirmative consent as rape?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-affirmative-consent-as-rape/506884>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 18, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-affirmative-consent-as-rape/506884 "2009-08-18T20:32:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 64

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**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-affirmative-consent-as-rape/506884/64 "2009-08-20T20:01:56Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> In what way is it consent? If she never said or did anything, then she never gave consent. Unless you’re assuming some situation where she did consent earlier, and then just lies there stiffly?

She never gave \*explicit, affirmative \*consent.

Again, assuming the lack of a physical threat, she is in control of this situation. She can say no. She can get up and leave. She has any number of options besides having sex with him, so one must assume that the sex was consensual.

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