A local Augments Rights groups appreciates the enthusiastic support some members of the New Gyr population have been offering to enhanced individuals. As a public service, the group is reminding people to remember to obtain enthusiastic consent prior to comforting an Augment during their period of overloading.
Consent is an informed, affirmative decision made freely and actively by all parties to engage in mutually acceptable activities, including comforting. Consent is given by clear words or actions and may not be inferred from silence, passivity, or lack of resistance alone. Even an augment reacting negatively or in obvious pain still needs to provide consent before comfort or aid is rendered.
Existence of a current or previous permission to engage in activities, including prior instances of Augment comfort, is not sufficient to constitute consent to subsequent activities. And consent to one type of activity does not imply consent to other types of activities, so if an Augment has granted permission to one type of comfort, obtain enthusiastic consent before using a different method of comfort.
Seeking consent respects the autonomy of the individual, which Augments Rights groups recognize as paramount. This is especially important given how some Augments remain in service of the entities that provided their enhancements and may not always have autonomy in other aspects of their life.
It is also important to remember that Augments may have greater physical strength and/or advanced training (including combat), so failure to seek consent may have negative and even dire consequences. Some Augments may have the ability to stun and individual, which would be unpleasant but within their rights to prevent unwanted actions against them.
This is a public service reminder to ask first, then provide comfort. Augments are people too.