Mel Schilling

Well, firstly, to acknowledge it to themselves, to go, oh, that feels wrong.

I'm not comfortable with that.

But then to actually articulate it.

You know, it's the kind of thing that I think can take a little bit of practice.

And this is where you can take the consent conversation out of the sexual realm and into the domestic or normal life realm and start practicing it.

Yes.

Even if it's saying things like...

Okay, if you're asking for consent, asking someone before you hug them.

Not everybody wants it.

But I did that because of my kids.

Right.

And so how does that work in the other way around?

Like if we're thinking about someone who's learning to express that they're not comfortable with boundaries, starting to express those in other realms that aren't sexual.

So for example, if someone does put their arm around you, for example, in a workplace or you're standing in line for a coffee and someone's getting too close.

Okay.

You can do it non-verbally.

That's bad, isn't it?

You've been socially conditioned.

That's not your fault.

You know, that's what we've been told to believe.