Consent beyond Sexual Cues—Pre- and In Situ Interactions between Men Influence Men’s Approach towards Sexual Consent
Harkaitz Zubiri-Esnaola,
Josep Maria Canal-Barbany,
Antonio Madrid-Pérez,
Marta Soler-Gallart,
Ana Burgués-Freitas,
Ane Olabarria
Affiliations
Harkaitz Zubiri-Esnaola
Department of Language and Literature Didactics, Faculty of Education, Philosophy and Anthropology, University of the Basque Country, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain
Josep Maria Canal-Barbany
Department of Education, Valencian International University, 46002 Valencia, Spain
Antonio Madrid-Pérez
Department of Political Science, Constitutional Law, and Philosophy of Law, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Marta Soler-Gallart
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Barcelona, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Ana Burgués-Freitas
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Ane Olabarria
Department of Language and Literature Didactics, Faculty of Education, Philosophy and Anthropology, University of the Basque Country, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain
The existing literature on sexual consent is extensive, but a new social approach to this topic is emerging, necessitating further research. This article addresses a gap in understanding how men’s interactions with other men, who are not their sexual partners, both before and during sexual encounters, influence their approach to consent beyond sexual cues. The study involved sixteen interviews and two focus groups with men aged 18–25. Conducted within the framework of the Consent project (PID2019-110466RB-100), this research aims to analyze how communicative acts, beyond verbal exchanges, shape relationships where either consent or coercion prevails. The findings reveal that when men engage in coercive interactions with non-sexual male peers, these interactions can encourage the violation of consent in their sexual relationships. Conversely, some men reject this coercive behavior, take a stand, and support others in avoiding situations that compromise consent. These results underscore the importance of addressing norms of masculinity and male interactions to ensure that all individuals can autonomously make decisions about their sexual lives.
