# Consent is about being in control, not just saying yes: Professor Madhavi Menon 2026-08-22T13:43:58+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Professor Madhavi Menon, Director of the Centre for Studies in Gender and Sexuality at Ashoka University, said consent is desirable because it presents an image of being in control, during a panel discussion moderated by Sneha Murdani and hosted by India Today. She urged moving beyond simplified slogans and called for a cultural shift that allows people to change their minds without judgment. The panel highlighted systemic hurdles including the lack of legal recognition for marital rape, social stigma, and popular media's influence on gender dynamics. Data from a nationwide survey presented at the event showed that 58 percent of women reported saying no in sexual relationships, but only a fraction had their preferences respected. Panelists stressed that economic independence is crucial for decision-making agency and called for reforms across social norms, education, and family structures. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The 58 percent figure on women saying no is striking, but without a baseline from a similar survey on men, it is hard to judge what it means for gender asymmetry. India does not legally recognise marital rape, which means millions of married women have no criminal remedy if a husband ignores a no. The next step is not a bill or a court date, it is the slow work of changing what families and schools treat as normal. Watch for the National Family Health Survey's next round of data on women's autonomy in household decisions. ## Coverage - indiatoday.in Leads with the academic's statement and presents panel views without taking a side. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Ashoka University, India Today, Madhavi Menon Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/consent-is-about-being-in-control-not-just-saying-yes-professor-madhavi-menon/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/consent-is-about-being-in-control-not-just-saying-yes-professor-madhavi-menon/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/