Saw this by chance, and in fact only 4 days left to respond, but in case anyone wanted to, or is part of a group providing services and support and they wanted to.
Call for input to the addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls to the HRC on the concept of consent in relation to violence against women and girls
Over the past few years, several international, regional and national legislation that criminalize various forms of violence against women and girls have expressly linked rape and other forms of violence against women and girls to the absence of consent to a sexual act.
Centring the concept of consent in the definition of the crime of violence has triggered wide discussions. On one hand, there are those who believe that all forms of sex and gender-based violence should be linked to the concept of consent. Others, however, are concerned that a blanket application of consent may invertedly result in leaving the responsibility for crimes to the victims while keeping out of punishment and social discussions several particularly grave forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, as well as violence against women and girls.
Additionally, it is important to understand the influence of previous and crime-related trauma, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma, so pervasive in victims of rape, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation, on the concept of consent, as well as the impact of the “invisible” forms of power, such as abuse of power and other behaviours and conduct by the perpetrators
A comprehensive human rights-based analysis of the concept of consent is therefore warranted.
Continues at https://www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/2025/call-input-addendum-report-special-rapporteur-violence-against-women-and-girls
Input/comments may be sent by e-mail. They must be received by 30 January 2025 18:00 (Geneva time).