The Basics of Sexual Assault

A violent crime can happen to anyone.

Other important information:

• Sexual Harassment


• Date/Acquaintance Rape and Dating Violence


• Stalking


• Your rights in a relationship


• Domestic Violence
  

What is Sexual Assault?
It is any sexual contact that is unwanted or forced without consent. This includes:

• Touching someone in intimate areas on top of or underneath clothes
• being forced to touch someone in intimate areas
• unwanted vaginal, oral, or anal penetration by any object (no matter how slight)
• Consensual sex witha victim who is mentally disabled or under the age of 16
• Sex witha victim who is drunk while the offender is sober.

Who are the victims?

FBI statistics indicate that both males and females of all ages, races, and ssocioeconomic status have been victims of sexual assault.

Who are the offenders?

• More frequently than not, offenders are usally someone the victims knows.
• Very Few are strangers.
• Most often, the offender is someone the victim trusts (ie. marital partner, dating partner, friend, acquaintance, family member, team coaches, religious officials, coworkers, etc.)
• Relatives are usually the offenders of children who are sexually assaulted.
• Offenders are both male and female.
• Offenders are selfish and insecure and are motivated by a desire to gain power and control, or to degrade their victim.

**How to ensure your safety and the safety of others:

• Trust your instincts.
• If someone is indecisive, silent, or does not say "yes" to sex, avoid the risk of committing a crime.
• If someone says "no" and/or becomes motionless during sex, be respectful and do not proceed.
• Know how intimate you want to be with someone, and verbalize what you want.
  use a buddy system when you go out.
• Educate yourself around rape prevention tactics.
• Never leave your drink unattended. You can be drugged without your knowledge, or made vulnerable by your intake of drugs and/or alcohol.
• Stay alert.
• The best resistance you can use against your offender is NOT TO PANIC.

**It is important to know that it is not the victim's fault if they are asaulted and have not followed these safety tips. no one expects to be sexaully assaulted. The blame lies with the offender for taking advantage of the victim, Unfortunately, victims are still sexually assaulted, despite follwoing safety tips.

Common Myths About Sexual Assault:

Rape/ Sexual assault is an "uncontrollable" sexual urge.
False, many sexual assualts are planned, and have more to do with asserting control over another person, rather than sex.

Rape/Sexual assault is an act of pure lust.
False. The motivation behind sexual assault is the desire to overpower, control, degrade, and humiliate another person.

Rape/Sexual assault happens because the victim's dress or behavior triggers the assault.
False. The perpetrator/offender's deciscions and attitudes are the ONLY causes of the sexual assault.

Rape/Sexual assault happens because th victim deserves it.
False. It is NEVER the victim's fault.

Rape/Sexual assault cannot occur between married or dating couples.
False. Almost 80% of sexual assaults are committed by marital partners (marital rape), dating partners, family memebrs, acquaintances, or other people the victim knows and trusts.