Exploring the Cultural Contexts of Consent in AANHPI Communities

AANHPI communities tend to be collective in nature, as well as hierarchical, to varying degrees. Both contexts complicate the concepts of consent and boundaries, especially for AANHPI youth and young adults, who often do not have opportunities to learn about the taboo topics of sex and relationships with trusted adults. This report explores how consent and boundaries are understood and practiced in AANHPI contexts, highlights how gender expectations and the need to respect certain individuals make it hard to establish boundaries, and presents recommendations for advocates and educators.