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Assessment of Sexual Consent Capacity

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Abstract

This article discusses assessment of sexual consent capacity, its ethical and legal mandates, and a rationale for the assessment of capacity to have a sexual relationship. It reports current assessment practices used by the authors as well as a summary of relevant literature. There is a review and discussion of New York laws, National and State court cases, and policies of National and international authorities relevant to sexual relations between persons who have intellectual disabilities. Technical information about a tool for assessing capacity to give consent for sexual relationships is described. A proposed clinical standard for use in assessing the capacity of a person with cognitive impairments to have a sexual relationship is presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Supervising Psychologist, Residential Division, Center for Disability Services, 3 Cedar Street Extension, Cohoes, NY, 12047, USA

    Martin Lyden

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  1. Martin Lyden
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Correspondence to Martin Lyden.

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Grateful appreciation is expressed to the following persons who provided valuable information and advice during the development of the manuscript: Steve Marcal, Dan Godfrey, Sheila Shea, and Patrick O'Donnell.

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Lyden, M. Assessment of Sexual Consent Capacity. Sex Disabil 25, 3–20 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-006-9028-2

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