Rethinking Consent: Beyond the “Perfect Victim” Narrative

“Perhaps I did not explain it clearly…”

“They just misunderstood what I meant.”

“I do not want anyone else to know.”

These are the real reactions of young women in the sex industry after experiencing sexual violence. In their brief words, we observe lingering fear, worry, and self-doubt. Much of the pressure they face is not an inevitable consequence of their experience, but is instead imposed by gaps in the current judicial system and deep-seated societal biases.

Last month, Teen’s Key participated in the “Sexual Offence Law Reform Forum: A Dialogue Between Survivors, Communities, and the Law,” co-hosted by the Hong Kong Women’s Coalition on Equal Opportunities (WCEO) and the Equality Rights Project of the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Law. This forum provided a vital platform for us to bring the systemic challenges and often-overlooked experiences of young women in the sex industry into the public consciousness.

The Barrier to Seeking Justice

In our frontline work, we frequently encounter cases involving “stealthing,” unauthorized filming, and sexual assault. However, because these incidents occur within a context involving financial or material exchange, these women are often excluded from the traditional “perfect victim” narrative. When they attempt to seek legal recourse, they are frequently met with skepticism or even discouraged from pursuing charges. During the process of giving statements, many are subjected to questioning that implies their profession justifies the violation: “Since you accepted payment, should you not have expected this?” Such comments force individuals into a cycle of self-criticism during an already difficult period.

A Call for Affirmative Consent

We must emphasize that a person’s occupation or identity can never diminish their right to bodily autonomy. We advocate for the formal recognition of the “Affirmative Consent” principle, which clarifies that:

✅Consent must be a voluntary, clear, and continuous agreement.

✅A lack of physical resistance does not constitute consent.

✅Consent can be withdrawn at any point during an encounter.

The judicial system should serve as a guardian of justice rather than a source of secondary harm. We urge everyone to stand with us and follow the government’s upcoming public consultation on sexual offence reform to protect every survivor from secondary harm.