Atlanta Black Star
6.6.15 | Tamiya King
By Tamiya King
The state of California has defined by law what it means when “yes means yes” on college campuses. The state Senate approved this decision unanimously. This will alter the way that sexual assault cases and allegations are investigated in California. The bill has also been signed by the state’s governor, Jerry Brown.
All college students in the state who are receiving government funds for tuition have to use the “yes means yes” standard when it comes to sexual assault investigations. The bill also states a clear definition of “consensual” as “affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity.” The bill also states that “a lack of protest or resistance does not mean consent, nor does silence mean consent.” This clause was added to the bill to emphasize that a person cannot give sexual consent when he/she is under the influence of drugs and alcohol, since these substances can cause severe lapses in judgment.
Now that the bill has been passed for California colleges, lawmakers in the state are also working to bring the “yes means yes” bill to high schools in California. The bill is essentially an outline of the standards for sexual consent, and is referred to as SB 695. The bill requires high school students to take a health education class before graduating, which includes training on affirming sexual consent.
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