Respectful relationships — with friends, family, or anyone else — are built on clear communication, honouring boundaries, and mutual respect. Consent means freely agreeing to something, and it should be clear, specific, and able to be withdrawn at any time — silence or not saying "no" is not the same as saying "yes". These skills apply broadly: to sharing personal space, using someone's belongings, sharing photos, or physical contact.
Example
Asking a friend "Is it okay if I post this photo of you?" and waiting for a clear "yes" respects their consent — assuming it's fine just because they didn't object earlier, or posting it anyway after they said no, does not.
Key terms
Consent:
Freely and clearly agreeing to something, which can be withdrawn at any time.
Boundary:
A limit a person sets on what they are comfortable with.
Mutual respect:
Both people in a relationship valuing and considering each other's feelings.
Questions
1. Consent means:
Freely and clearly agreeing to something
Staying silent about something
Being forced to agree
Never being asked at all
2. A boundary is:
A limit a person sets on what they are comfortable with
A type of punishment
A rule that never applies to friends
A physical wall only
3. Consent can be:
Withdrawn at any time
Given once and never changed
Assumed without asking
Ignored if convenient
4. Silence about something is:
Not the same as saying yes
Always the same as agreement
A clear form of consent
Required before any action
5. A respectful relationship involves:
Clear communication and mutual respect
Ignoring the other person's feelings
One person controlling everything
No communication at all
6. Before posting a photo of a friend, it is respectful to:
Ask for their clear permission first
Post it without asking
Assume it is fine
Never ask anyone anything
7. Mutual respect means:
Both people value and consider each other's feelings
Only one person's feelings matter
Ignoring the other person entirely
Respect flowing in only one direction
8. If a friend says "no" to something and you do it anyway, this:
Disrespects their boundary
Is completely acceptable behaviour
Shows respect for consent
Has no impact on the relationship
9. Why is it important that consent be specific (e.g. to one activity, not everything)?
Agreeing to one thing does not automatically mean agreeing to something else
Any single agreement covers everything forever
Specificity has no relevance to consent
Consent should always be vague
10. A friend previously said yes to something but now says they've changed their mind. The respectful response is to:
Accept and respect their new decision
Insist they stick with their original answer
Ignore their change of mind
Get angry at them for changing their mind
11. Respecting someone's personal space is an example of respecting their:
Boundaries
Homework
Grades
Wi-Fi password
12. Which is an example of clear, respectful communication in a friendship?
"I'm not comfortable with that, can we do something else?"
Saying nothing and staying upset silently
Pretending to be fine when you're not
Ignoring the friend completely with no explanation
13. Using someone's belongings without asking first can be disrespectful because it:
Ignores their right to decide what happens with their own things
Is always completely acceptable without asking
Has no connection to boundaries at all
Is required in all friendships
14. Why might peer pressure make it harder for someone to express a boundary?
Fear of judgement or exclusion can make speaking up feel difficult
Peer pressure always makes boundaries easier to express
Boundaries have no connection to social situations
Peer pressure has no effect on communication
15. Why is enthusiastic, clear agreement considered a better standard for consent than the absence of a "no"?
It ensures genuine willingness rather than assuming agreement from silence or hesitation
Absence of "no" is always the clearest form of consent
Enthusiastic agreement has no relevance to respectful relationships
Consent standards make no practical difference
16. Why can consent given under pressure or manipulation not be considered genuine, freely given consent?
Genuine consent requires a free choice, not one made out of fear or coercion
Consent given under any circumstance is always considered valid
Pressure has no effect on whether agreement is genuine
Manipulation and genuine consent are the same thing
17. Why is ongoing communication throughout a relationship (not just at the start) important for maintaining mutual respect?
Comfort levels and boundaries can change over time and need to be revisited
Communication is only ever needed once, at the very beginning
Boundaries never change once initially established
Ongoing communication has no relevance to respect
18. Which best explains why respecting a "no" — even an uncomfortable one — builds trust in a relationship?
It shows the other person their boundaries are genuinely valued, not just tolerated when convenient
Ignoring a "no" always builds more trust
Trust has no connection to how boundaries are handled
A "no" should generally be overridden if possible
19. Why might someone find it hard to say "no" even when they want to, especially to a friend or someone they look up to?
Social pressure, fear of conflict, or fear of damaging the relationship can make it difficult
Saying no is always effortless in every relationship
Only strangers ever find it hard to say no
There is no social or emotional difficulty involved in saying no
20. Why is teaching consent skills considered relevant to all kinds of relationships, not just romantic ones?
Respecting boundaries and agreement matters in friendships, family and any interaction involving another person's choices
Consent is only ever relevant in romantic relationships
Friendships and family relationships never involve any boundaries
Consent skills have no broader application beyond one specific context
21. Why might a person feel able to give consent in one moment but need to reconsider it later, and why does that matter?
Feelings and comfort levels can genuinely change, so ongoing check-ins respect that reality
A person's first answer must always be treated as permanent and unchangeable
Reconsidering an answer is never valid or acceptable
Consent has no relationship to how someone feels over time
Answer key (parent copy)
1. Freely and clearly agreeing to something
2. A limit a person sets on what they are comfortable with
3. Withdrawn at any time
4. Not the same as saying yes
5. Clear communication and mutual respect
6. Ask for their clear permission first
7. Both people value and consider each other's feelings
8. Disrespects their boundary
9. Agreeing to one thing does not automatically mean agreeing to something else
10. Accept and respect their new decision
11. Boundaries
12. "I'm not comfortable with that, can we do something else?"
13. Ignores their right to decide what happens with their own things
14. Fear of judgement or exclusion can make speaking up feel difficult
15. It ensures genuine willingness rather than assuming agreement from silence or hesitation
16. Genuine consent requires a free choice, not one made out of fear or coercion
17. Comfort levels and boundaries can change over time and need to be revisited
18. It shows the other person their boundaries are genuinely valued, not just tolerated when convenient
19. Social pressure, fear of conflict, or fear of damaging the relationship can make it difficult
20. Respecting boundaries and agreement matters in friendships, family and any interaction involving another person's choices
21. Feelings and comfort levels can genuinely change, so ongoing check-ins respect that reality