Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Minister Pru Goward says silence does not always mean yes, as the state orders a review into sexual consent laws.

The review follows the acquittal of a man accused of raping a teenager.

The 18-year-old woman has spoken publicly after the man accused of sexually assaulting her was found to have ‘assumed consent’, despite her not giving it.

Minister Goward tells Ben Fordham silence must be interpreted as ‘no’.

“I think we want to be absolutely clear with one another and in this age of very permissible sex, saying nothing and doing nothing, we cannot think means consent has been given.”

She explains in some cases, victims are in a situation where saying no is not an option.

“They can be in situations of great fear and it’s not possible for the person always to say the words no.”

“If your partner looks away, is uncertain, says nothing, is uncomfortable, then she has not said yes.

“I think the problem, Ben, is when we say no means no, sometimes there isn’t a no. ”

Listen to the full interview below