the need for a defence of consent

• there must be a defence of consent in some situations.
• If there was no defence, then contact sports and surgery would all be illegal
• The attorney general's reference in 1980 gave the exceptions to the law where consent was a defence:

  medical treatment

  properly conducted games

  dangerous exhibitions

  lawful chastisation or correction

  tattoos and body adornment

  these exceptions are based on public policy