Examining how adolescents understand the concept of sexual consent, and expect to garner or confer consent in sexual encounters, can contribute to the design of age-and developmentally appropriate prevention programs that promote healthy adolescent dating and sexual relationships. The current qualitative study utilized semi-structured in-depth interviews (N = 33) to explore perceptions of sexual consent among high school students (ages 14-18). Thematic analysis identified three salient themes pertaining to (a) the definition of consent as indicating a verbal "yes" to engage in sexual activity, (b) beliefs that an array of verbal and nonverbal strategies would be utilized to garner or convey consent in actual sexual encounters, and (c) expectations that consent would be communicated differently following an initial sexual encounter. Specifically, whereas consent was defined as a verbal provision of affirmative consent, both male and female adolescents believed girls typically conveyed consent nonverbally in sexual encounters. Adolescent girls indicated that they would convey sexual refusal through nonverbal cues, whereas adolescent boys reported they would proceed with sexual activity until they

Adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa are at disproportionately high risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The interconnected risks for IPV and HIV present the opportunity for interventions to concurrently seek to reduce violence and sexual risk behaviors among young people. Accordingly, the present systematic review evaluates interventions that concomitantly address IPV and HIV risk among adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors systematically reviewed electronic databases for studies meeting the following criteria: use of randomized control trials (RCT) or quasi-RCT in Sub-Saharan African countries; inclusion of adolescents aged 13-18 years; use of a comparison group (wait listed, designated to a comparative treatment, or treatment as usual); and incorporation of IPV and HIV outcome assessments. Results suggested that six studies have utilized rigorous research methodologies to evaluate integrated IPV/HIV interventions; however, few have targeted adolescents. The six studies meeting inclusion criteria indicate that current research on IPV/HIV is conducted with rigorous study designs among target populations with high IPV/HIV risk, using gender-specific risk reduction activities. The authors' findings indicate there is also the need for consistent application of valid and reliable outcome measurements of IPV and HIV risk. Additional research is needed to identify best practices for reducing IPV and HIV incidence among vulnerable adolescent populations in Sub-Saharan Africa.