Which statement best describes consent by deception?

Which statement best describes consent by deception?

• A. The victim has sex out of obligation, gratitude, or fear because of deception by the aggressor.
• B. The aggressor forces sex with no consent.
• C. The encounter occurs after mutual consent.
• D. The memory of the event is unclear.

Answer: (A)

Consent must be voluntary and informed. When deception is used and the person ends up having sex because they feel obligated, frightened, or grateful due to that deception, the consent is not truly freely given. This is the essence of consent by deception: the manipulation undermines the person’s ability to choose freely. The other situations either involve no deception, describe coercion without deception, or focus on memory issues, none of which capture consent obtained through misleading or manipulative tactics.

Consent must be voluntary and informed. When deception is used and the person ends up having sex because they feel obligated, frightened, or grateful due to that deception, the consent is not truly freely given. This is the essence of consent by deception: the manipulation undermines the person’s ability to choose freely. The other situations either involve no deception, describe coercion without deception, or focus on memory issues, none of which capture consent obtained through misleading or manipulative tactics.