Sexual consent is an understudied and undertheorized concept despite its importance
to feminist researchers and activists interested in sexual violence. Literature on
consent, although sparse, has been produced from a variety of disciplines, including
law, psychology, and sociology. This article is a critical review of current
literature and current understandings of sexual consent. Different
conceptualizations of consent are analysed including implicit and explicit
definitions from legal theorists and sexual violence and consent researchers.
Alternatives, including communicative sexuality, are discussed and feminist
understandings of the social context of consent and the social forces that produce
understandings of consent are examined. Directions for future research are suggested.
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