What’s actually seductive? Obtaining full, passionate approval before ever considering doing business with an old or new partner.
Superdrug is poised to offer new, own-brand condoms with a reminder about the significance of permission on the box to urge buyers to do just that.
It’s all part of its new You Before Yes campaign, launched in partnership with the charities Brook, Fumble, UK Says No More and Switchboard, with the aim of educating and empowering 18 – 21-year-olds about consent.
According to a recent marketing poll, more than a third (36%) of young adults in this age bracket have ‘gone along with sex’ even if they didn’t want to. Worryingly, three out of ten did so because they were afraid of what might happen if they said no.
A quarter (25%) of the 2,000 young adults polled agreed to unprotected sex when they didn’t want to, and 41% did so because they were ‘too afraid’ to insist on someone using a condom.
A quarter (23%) also reported experiencing a power imbalance in a sexual relationship, with 20% remaining in that scenario because they didn’t know what to do to change it.
It appears that the under-21s, too, require instruction on how to sext with consent in mind. Two-thirds have received explicit content without their consent via SMS, WhatsApp, or social media. In the majority of situations (72%), they felt uneasy (72%), violated (25%), or pressed to respond (16%).
Dealing with the pressure
You should never feel pressured to have sex if you’re not into it, but sexual health charity Brook has provided Metro.co.uk with some useful tips on navigating specific, uncomfortable situations.
On the pressure to have sex without condoms
‘No one should ever feel an expectation to have unprotected sex if they don’t want to. It doesn’t matter if you are using another method of contraception, or you have had sex with the same person without a condom in the past,’ says Brook.
‘It is your body and you have the right to decide whether to use condoms or not, every time you have sex. If someone is pressuring you not to use condoms, consider if this is the sort of person you want to be having sex with.’
Receiving unwanted sexual messages
‘Sending sexual messages to someone needs to be understood as a sexual act and something you need to get consent for every time, even if you’re in a relationship.
‘When you receive an explicit message that makes you feel uncomfortable, it’s important to understand that it isn’t your fault and that you aren’t powerless. If you know the person who sent the message and you feel comfortable discussing it with them, let them know how you feel, explain what your boundaries are and that they need to be respected. Remember that you can always block the sender and report it to the platform if it happened on social media or a dating app.
‘It is illegal to send naked images of, or to, people under 18. If this has happened to you it is important to tell someone. Speak with a trusted adult or an organisation like Brook, or Childline on their website or by calling 0800 1111.
‘If you are with someone who puts pressure on you to do anything sexual without your consent, whether online or in-person, then you could be in an abusive relationship. If you’re worried or want to find out more, visit our page on abusive relationships for more information and advice.’
With new packaging, Superdrug condoms will urge consumers to search for ‘consent over compliance’ beginning in September. The boxes will also include a QR link to the You Before Yes website, which will have videos and blogs answering some of the most frequently asked questions about sex by young people. In-store, sexual consent information is also available on till displays.
‘People are being exposed to devastating non consensual behaviours far too frequently and lack access to information and support,’ said Caris Newson, Superdrug’s healthcare director.
‘Better consent-based behaviours won’t happen overnight and we’re committed to working with our partners to create long standing change.’
