The Great Rite is a term applied to the sexual act performed in a magical context. It is symbolic of the sacred marriage of the god and goddess in some Wiccan traditions. In a coven setting, the Great Rite is performed by an established couple, and members should never be pressured into participating.
In some cases the Great Rite is performed symbolically rather than literally. Instead of actual sexual intercourse, an athame may be placed in a chalice, or other phallic objects can be united with symbols of the sacred feminine.
Some covens do practice skyclad, which is not sexual in nature. No reputable Wiccan or Pagan group requires sexual activity as part of initiation or membership. No Pagan or Wiccan condones non-consensual sex, sex with minors, or any sexual act that involves coercion.
