Can people with severe mental retardation consent to mutual sex?

One of the most pressing issues confronting service providers who work with people with severe mental retardation is how to negotiate mutual sex behaviors which occur among this population. Uncertainty surrounding whether individuals have the capacity to consent, fear of legal repercussion, and staff not understanding what their responsibilities and roles should be, each contribute to the difficulty which the service provider experiences. This article examines in detail all aspects of consent and ways for determining consent as well as the responsibilities an interdisciplinary team has for managing mutual sex behaviors.