Red Flags & Consent · L1 · Alcohol and consent

Drunk people can't consent

The birthday party is wrapping up, and you've both had a lot to drink. They're swaying a little, lean on you and say, "Let's go to your place..." Then they close their eyes and rest against the wall.

They're the one who suggested going to your place. Is that consent?

Pick one answer

Lesson notes

A summary of this lesson to come back to. To make it stick, work through the steps above.

By the end you'll be able to

Judge whether someone is in a state where they're able to consent.

Key ideas

Capacity to consent

Read the state, not the count

Whether someone can consent isn't about how many drinks they've had. It's about how they are right now: Are they speaking clearly? Can they walk on their own? Do they remember what just happened? Once you see a red light, there's only one job left: keeping them safe.

If it's a gray area, it's a no

Drinking isn't all or nothing. Chatting clearly after one drink is very different from not being able to stand. But the further right, the weaker the judgment. If you can't tell where they are, treat it as can't consent.

When you've been drinking too

If you've both been drinking, the best decision is to decide nothing tonight. If you really like each other, you'll still like each other sober, and waiting costs you nothing. Being drunk yourself is never an excuse to cross a line.

Take these with you

✓Someone who's slurring, unsteady or forgetting things can't consent.
✓If you're not sure they're sober enough, treat it as a no.
✓If you've both been drinking, the best call is to wait until you're both sober.

This week's mission

This week, look up how to put someone in the recovery position, and remember: if someone can't be woken, call 911.