Research project Between yes and no - processes, ambiguities and ambivalence in youths’ sexual consent.

Youth intimate partner violence (YIPV) is an under-researched topic in Europe. However, some studies have provided important knowledge on the extent and pervasiveness of violence in young people’s relationship. A central part of the violence young people experience is sexual, which underlines the importance of studying sexual violence and consent. As the first Nordic country, Sweden implemented a rape legislation based on consent in 2018, stating that it is illegal for a person to have sex with someone who has not explicitly expressed voluntariness and participation (SFS 2018:618). Sexual consent can be simple - yet, there’s an inherent ‘slipperiness’ concerning the process of consent - delicate and difficult to pinpoint. Also, sexual consent is deeply intertwined with expectations and stereotypes based on gender, age and sexuality - which are often the guidance for youth at the starting point of their sexual lives - conditioning their sexual experiences. Drawing on sociological and feminist research this study aims to explore 1) how sexual consent is understood, experienced and negotiated in youths’ daily lives and 2) how contextual and youth-specific aspects of sexual consent emerge in rape judgements under the new rape law.