What is Sexual Violence?
Sexual Violence means that someone forces or manipulates someone else into unwanted sexual activity without their consent. Reasons someone might not consent include fear, age, illness, disability, and/or influence of alcohol or other drugs. Sexual Violence does not descriminate, it affects people of all genders, ages, races, religions, incomes, abilities, professions, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. Anyone can experience sexual violence including: children, teens, adults, and elders. Those who perpetrate sexual violence can be acquaintances, family members, trusted individuals or strangers.
Some Common Forms of Sexual Violence:
- Forced or coerced Rape or sexual assault
- Child sexual assault, abuse and incest
- Intimate partner sexual assault
- Unwanted sexual contact/touching
- Sexual harassment
- Sexual exploitation
- Coerced “Sexting” (transmitting/sending sexually inappropriate images)
- Obscene phone calls
- Showing one’s genitals or naked body to other(s) without consent
- Masturbating in public (Exhibitionism)
- Watching someone in a private act without their knowledge or permission (Voyeurism)
FACTS about Sexual Violence:
- Chances are you know someone who is a survivor of sexual violence
- The perpetrator is most often known to the survivor
- It is never the survivors fault
- RAPE is the least reported and convicted violent crime in the U.S.
- Sexual Violence IS preventable
- Healing is possible. Help is available.