Consent that isn't freely given but forced through power differentials, threats, or circumstances that make refusal impossible or catastrophic. Unlike genuine consent, which requires meaningful choice and the ability to say no, Imposed Consent occurs when the costs of refusal are so high that agreement is the only viable option. "You can refuse, but you'll lose your job, your benefits, your housing, your safety." The consent is real in form—you said yes—but hollow in substance because the alternative was unthinkable. Imposed Consent is the currency of power disguised as agreement, the yes that means "I have no choice."
"She signed the contract, yes. But her landlord knew she had nowhere else to go, knew the alternative was homelessness, and structured the agreement accordingly. That's Imposed Consent: technically voluntary, practically forced. The signature is real; the freedom behind it isn't."
by Dumu The Void February 24, 2026
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