How could it be considered rape if the girl never told him at the time it happened that she did not want to?
Any sexual contact without consent is considered a sexual assault or a rape. Consent is a “yes” of your own free will –and it is always the responsibility of the person who is initiating the sexual activity to get consent from their partner. That means hearing a “yes”, checking in with the person if they seem uncomfortable and stopping anytime the person says “no”. Coercion is manipulation with pressure. An example of coercion would be if someone says “no” when asked to have sex and the person initiating that keeps pressuring them or threatens them in order to make them change their mind. Using coercion is not the same as getting consent. When someone uses coercion, it could be considered, legally, a sexual assault or rape. It’s really important to have a lot of communication if sexual activity or sex is going to be a part of any relationship – to make sure both people feel comfortable, safe and respected.
