To explore the individual, family, health and social factors associated with the perceptions and understanding of sexual consent among young people in Switzerland.
Approach:
Study Design: Data were drawn from a national cross-sectional survey on adolescent mental health conducted between June and August 2021 in Switzerland (N=988; ages 14–19).
Data Collection: Participants completed a self-reported online questionnaire disseminated via social media, including seven items assessing perceptions of sexual consent.
Analysis: Participants were classified into three groups based on their perception of consent: ‘affirmative’, ‘hybrid’ and ‘implicit’. Associations with sociodemographic characteristics, health status, risky behaviour, exposure to violence and healthcare utilisation wer…
Key Findings:
Up to 15.8% of participants held ‘implicit’ perceptions of sexual consent.
Males (RRR=2.21), younger adolescents aged 14–15 (RRR=3.00), those with below-average perceived socioeconomic status (RRR=2.86), and youth with non-standard occupation (RRR=4.57) were more likely to fall into the ‘implicit’ perception group.
Interpretation:
The study reveals complexities and disparities in perceptions of sexual consent across gender, age, socioeconomic status, educational pathways, and behavioral factors.
Limitations:
The study relies on self-reported data, which may be subject to bias.
The cross-sectional design limits the ability to infer causality.
Conclusion:
The findings highlight the importance of understanding adolescents' perceptions of sexual consent.
