Why consent a must before sexual advances?: sex ed in Kerala campus

Thiruvananthapuram: Post the Kerala High Court's observation that explicit consent is a must before even touching a woman, a top campus in the state conducted a sex education session here, PTI reported.

In the session, the significant question of consent arose too. A 19-year-old boy raised the question of why consent is so important in sex, adding that why should one be ashamed in expressing their feelings to another.

"If I have feelings towards a girl, why should I be ashamed about expressing it?" PTI quoted the boy. The boy was given the apt answer to his question, which deserved to be reached by the masses, particularly the youth, in a society where talking about anything connected to sex is taboo.

The event, organised by the National Service Scheme (NSS), in the college (University College Thiruvananthapuram), was in association with Vvox, a sexual health platform backed by Harvard-trained and ASSECT-certified sexologists from India and the United States. The session was titled "Eat, Play, Love, responsibly".

Responding to the teenager's query on consent, Sangeeth Sebastian, sexuality educator and founder of Vvox, said it is important to avoid any unpleasant situations by ensuring that the other person is comfortable with his sexual advances in the first place.

"Whether your feelings will make someone else uncomfortable or not is something which you cannot control," said Mr Sebastian.

Taking note of the rise in sexual harassment cases in society, the Kerala High Court had recently observed that lessons in good behaviour and etiquette must be part of the curriculum, at least from the primary school level.

It said boys should understand the phrase "no" means "no" and urged society to teach them to be selfless and gentle rather than selfish and entitled.

It said showing respect and honour towards a woman was not old-fashioned but a virtue for all times, the court observed.