The UK Kink GuideEvidence-led glossaryA shared understanding about expectations, boundaries, disclosure, safer sex or other relationship matters. Agreements remain reviewable and do not erase individual consent.
Manual claim and limitation notes are shown where an individual source audit is complete. Other evidence-type labels are a publisher aid awaiting source-by-source confirmation.
Consent & relationships
Illustration created using generative AI; not documentary evidence.
In brief
Relationship agreements make assumptions discussable. They can concern exclusivity, other partners, privacy, time, finances, sexual health or conflict processes. A useful agreement is understood and freely chosen; it is not a mechanism for permanent ownership or consent in advance to every situation.
Topics may include exclusivity, disclosure, barriers, testing, hosting, digital privacy, finances, time, public visibility and how changes are raised. Relevance varies by relationship.
Use concrete language and identify whether an item is a preference, boundary, promise or condition. This reduces false agreement created by shared vocabulary with different meanings.
A mutually accepted expectation or commitment between participants.
A person's own limit and the action they may take to protect it.
A requirement governing conduct, which may be mutual, imposed or embedded in an agreement.
Current agreement to a specific activity; a relationship agreement cannot provide it on someone's behalf.
Agreement obtained through threats, dependency or fear may not reflect meaningful choice. Power from housing, money, immigration status, disability support or community standing deserves explicit attention.
Fair does not always mean identical, but each person should understand impact and retain a realistic option to decline or leave.
Set times or triggers for review, such as new partners, health information, cohabitation or changed capacity. A requested change is not automatically accepted until everyone agrees.
After a breach, establish safety and facts before discussing repair. An apology or new rule cannot retroactively authorise what occurred.
Research associates sexual communication quality with satisfaction, but association does not prove that more rules produce better relationships. Overly complex systems may create ambiguity or surveillance.
Written agreements can aid memory yet do not become legally enforceable sexual consent. Personal legal questions need specialist advice.
Non-graphic examples
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Continue with independent guidance connecting relationship agreement to evidence, consent, safety, uncertainty and practical decisions.
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