3 Ways Providers Respect Consent in an Exam

Consent is necessary in all walks of life, not just with sexual partners. Whether it’s between friends, family, or colleagues, relationships stay safe when people respect the boundaries of others. 

Consent is also important in health care settings, too. Here are three ways a provider may go about getting your permission to give you an exam (or check in with you to make sure they still have it throughout the process):

1. They may ask if it’s okay to touch you.

Some providers may assume they have permission to touch because you are sitting in their exam room and you took off your clothes before they walked in. However, a provider that values your consent will make sure it’s okay to touch you before the exam begins. 

If you are talking to your provider and it’s not clear if they are going to get your consent to touch you, you can tell them they need to let you know when and where they’re going to touch you. Another option is telling them that you do not want to be touched, and that this particular exam will only be a conversational one.

2. They may ask how you’re doing during the exam.

If the provider has your permission to touch you, they may ask at certain points during the exam how you’re doing. This is their way of checking if they are respecting your boundaries, and if you are comfortable with what’s happening. A provider who values consent will give you the opportunity to tell them when something is happening in the exam that is not okay with you.

3. They may make recommendations for next steps, but you have the final say.

A provider who values your consent understands that you are the expert on your body, and that the only person who gets to make decisions about your body is you. While they do have medical training and expertise, their role as your provider is to learn as much as they can about you, offer medically accurate information about what might be going on, and give you the final say about what happens next. For example, if you are talking to a provider about your birth control options (which you can get for free or at a low-cost at your nearest The Right Time health center!), they may suggest a few types of contraception that they believe fit your needs and preferences. But ultimately, the method you decide to use is up to you. 

For more information about consent as it relates to sex and birth control, make an appointment to talk to a provider at your nearest The Right Time health center.