Hyderabad: Tinder, the world’s most popular dating app, in a recent survey surrounding conversations regarding consent among young Indian adults stated that more than 65% of Hyderabadis have little or no confidence while navigating consent.
The research was conducted by YouGov on 1,108 young adults (18-30 years of age) across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
When it comes to Hyderabadis alone, many young adults are hesitant to give consent, ask for it, and to withdraw consent when dating someone.
Around 65% of them choose not to talk about it with their partner or chose to look online for more information. However, Hyderabadis do feel that the need to discuss consent is important more than ever.
In fact, 6 in 10 adults believe that consent should be discussed more openly with partners and 64% have taken steps themselves to understand the concept. Sixty percent feel that consent should be taught in schools and colleges so that from a young age, the person is aware of where the relationship with their family, friends, or partner is going.
More than 4 out of 10 people feel a need to create a safe space for consent. While 46% believe it should come from parents, 43% believe educational institutions should take responsibility.
While this is good news, there is still a feeling of awkwardness while communicating consent. Around 42% felt awkward having conversations on consent or boundaries, 37% are afraid of hurting the feelings of their partner, 29% are anxious about not getting liked and 27% just don’t know how to say no.
The survey says that 1 out of 2 Hyderabadis will hesitate to say no to a kiss or further intimacy even though they feel uncomfortable at that moment.
Consent is not just about physical intimacy. It also talks about emotional needs and the right to privacy. Seven out of 10 Hyderabadis agree that sharing someone’s photo or screenshots of a private conversation or just looking at your partner’s laptop or phone is a direct violation of consent.
Sneham, Tinder Member from Hyderabad says, “I think young adults in Hyderabad today know what they like and what would put them off, but actually saying it in an intimate moment can be hard. I believe one doesn’t want to come across as too uptight or serious. I cannot remember a single romantic classic where the protagonists explicitly asked if they could kiss or even hold hands for that matter. If it wasn’t for my friends and the community groups I am part of, I wouldn’t have understood that I can talk about consent without fearing it will kill the mood!”
