THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NON-CON AND DUB-CON TAGS ON ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN
trigger warning: rape mentioned
the non-con in “rape/non-con” tag stands non-consensual.
whereas the dub-con tag stands for dubious consent.
rape/non-con tag is one of archive warnings, alongside creator chose not to use archive warnings, no archive warnings apply, graphic depictions of violence, major character death and underage sex.
whereas dub-con tag is an additional tag.
what counts as non-con:
outright rape, sexual assault, a character fighting/struggling, a character being forced into having sex/getting intimate with the other character, a character being drugged, a character being unconscious, a character being restrained/tied up, a character not wanting the sex, a character not being able to say no, a character not having other choice but to agree to have sex/get intimate with the other character, “fuck or die” situation, etc.
what counts as dub-con:
when the consent is not explicitly given but is dubious, when a character is coerced into having sex/being intimate with the other character, when a character is too intoxicated to give full consent, when a character is under the impression that the character they’re getting intimate with is someone else, when the character later enjoys the intimacy they were previously forced or coerced into having with the other character, etc.
obviously, dub-con is non-con in real life. but when it comes to fiction and fanfiction, the two are not the same, and one of the reasons they are not the same, besides the reasons stated above, is so that a potential reader can either search for or filter out what they want, be it non-con or dub-con.
happy writing and don’t forget to tag your warnings properly <3
