Consent is when one person voluntarily agrees to another person's proposal.[1] It is a common term, with specific definitions for its use in the fields of law, medicine, research, and sexual relationships.
The person giving consent must meet certain criteria for it to be considered valid:[source?]
- They must be of a minimum age. In the case of consenting to a sexual relationship this age is known as the age of consent.
- They must be able to clearly see the consequences of consenting. People with certain mental illnesses cannot consent, even though they may be adults.
- They must be awake. People who are unconscious or sleeping cannot consent. This may also be true for people who are under the influence of certain drugs.
- ↑ Cite error: The named reference
OED
was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).