Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 Explanatory Notes

Section 15 – Consent: scope and withdrawal

46.This section makes further provision as to the meaning of consent for sections 1 to 9 of the Bill. It deals with two separate aspects of consent.

47.Subsection (2) provides that consent given to particular sexual conduct does not, of itself, imply consent to any other type of sexual conduct.

48.Subsections (3) and (4) deal with the withdrawal of consent. Subsection (3) provides that consent may be withdrawn at any time before or during that sexual activity. Consent may therefore be withdrawn before the activity begins or while the sexual activity is taking place. Subsection (4) provides that, if consent is withdrawn, the activity takes place without consent.

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