Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7984-2328

Date Available

1-5-2025

Year of Publication

2025

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Sociology

Advisor

Dr. Claire Renzetti

Abstract

Recent data estimate that 26.8% of adult women in the U.S. have experienced rape in their lifetime. In this context, the phrase “consent to sex” is a prominent narrative countering sexual violence. Yet, there is no consensus on the meaning of consent, nor how the practice of consent is affected by coercion, resulting in a puzzle of consent. In response, the present project brings together existing research and theory to conceptualize consent and coercion in new ways. It asks, broadly, how do different forms of coercion complicate sexual consent and contribute to sexual violence against women today and answers this question in three parts. First, the project traces how consent comes to be associated with topics of sex in liberal modernity. Next, it considers the nature of mutual agreement and whether consent represents agreement sufficiently. Third, the project examines how violations of consent take place differently depending on social position. It concludes with a typology for four approaches to sexual consent today, a definition for communicative agreement as an alternative to consent, and a framework for seven ways in which coercion violates agreement, resulting in harm. Such a framework aims to provide concepts for use in future research and to support public dialogue about the nature of sexual violence today.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2024.531

Funding Information

This study was supported by the Ashley T. Judd Distinguished Graduate Fellowship.

Download

Share

COinS