A groundbreaking new app has been launched in Denmark, allowing participants to give consent for one ‘session’ of sex. Each declaration of consent is valid for 24 hours and can be revoked at any time.
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Cracking down on sexual assault
It may seem frivolous to have to ‘sign in’ for sex, but iConsent could actually help crack down on sexual assault and could even be used as evidence in cases of rape.
Developers have explained that the app offers a number of services such as sexual health advice, links to victim support services and even gives the user the ability to document their consent by storing encrypted data in case it is ever needed in a criminal proceeding.
However, in order for the consent functions to work properly, it requires consent from both ends, meaning your partner will have to secure your consent ‘before, during and after’ your encounter. Users can also look over their ‘consent history’, which will only be shared with authorities if a criminal investigation is launched.
Danish law changes now call for explicit consent
The launch of iConsent comes after Denmark strengthened its laws around rape. The country’s government passed a law at the end of last year which widened the term ‘rape’. Now people are required to gain explicit consent before getting intimate and any kind of sexual contact, without this it now counts as rape.
The law change is a big move for Denmark when it comes to preventing and supporting victims of sexual abuse as in the past, authorities required proof of excessive force or violence had been involved, indicating that the victim was unable to escape.
However, despite the app creating a safe space for sex, critics have not been shy to slam the app, which could take the ‘warmth’ out of making love. Translated by The Daily Mail,Berlingske, a newspaper based in Copenhagen stated:
First, we threw out romantic encounters by using the internet where we could hide among the algorithms. Now we've also created an app that removes any kind of human warmth from something we still need to be together for: sex.
The first reviews of the app on Google Store have also been critical with users giving it a score of only 2.3 out of 5, over fears that the digital system could be maliciously hacked in order to create records of consent. For reasons such as this may experts doubt that the app could actually be used in court.
