What is Sexual Violence?

Sexual violence is comprised of a spectrum of acts of aggression that violate individuals and impact our communities. The spectrum ranges from such experiences as "cat calls", sexual degradation of women, molestation of children, date rape, sexual exploitation, assault, marital rape, and femicide, to name a few.

After over thirty years of the U.S.A. anti-rape movement efforts to build awareness, enact laws, and change social attitudes, the fear of sexual assault remains firm in our socialization of children, men and women. The prevalence and history of sexual violence dictates women and children's lives…where they can go, what they can do, when and with whom. Messages from social and cultural influences continue to utilize sexist stereotypes to define the role of men and women, while media messages continue to utilize sexual images and violent sex as a means to advertise and portray men, women and children.

A feminist view of sexual violence identifies such violence as one of the many tools of oppression used to support racism, sexism, heterosexism and other oppressive beliefs. Given that sexual violence crosses boundaries of age, religious beliefs, marital status, income, race, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, ethnicity, and gender, WRC advocates for dialogue and action to stop the violence while coping with the immediate crisis and impact of sexual violence on individuals and communities.

A BRIEF REVIEW OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Some of the experiences of survivors are not "illegal" or are considered minor criminal offenses; progressively acts of sexual aggression are being identified as crimes throughout the country.

Sexual Assault is any nonconsensual contact that is manual, oral, anal, and/or genital.

  • Assaults may include but are not limited to being touched or made to touch the perpetrator, oral sex, rape/ penetration by objects or a person, bondage, ritual abuse, video taping/photography of sexual assault, rape by numerous perpetrators, voyeurism/exhibitionism, mutilation of genitalia or breast, stalking, and many other experiences that purposely utilize sex as the tool of abuse.
  • Sexual assault may involve one attack or a pattern of controlling behaviors of a sexual nature.
  • The assault may be brutal causing death or may involve subtle coercion.
  • Includes incest, child sexual assault, date rape, marital rape, rape, indecent assault, and sexual harassment.
  • Assaults occur to women, men, teens, and children.
  • Coercion, manipulation, deception, and cooperation are not consent.
  • Sexual activity while the intended victim is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, asleep, unconscious, or incapacitated is sexual assault.
  • The survivor is not responsible for acts to which they did not consent. The perpetrator is responsible for criminal act(s) of sexual violence.

For more information on sexual assault GO TO:

  • National Sexual Violence Resource Center is a comprehensive clearinghouse for information, research, and policy on sexual violence intervention.
  • The National Center for Victims of Crime is a national resource and advocacy organization. The mission of the National Center for Victims of Crime is to forge a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. Dedicated to serving individuals, families, and communities harmed by crime.
  • Security On Campus is an organization whose mission is safer campuses for students.

Child Sexual Assault is any manual, oral, anal, or genital contact between an adult and a child.

  • The adult is most often trusted by the child.
  • Threats of harm to the child, their pet, family, or things they care for is common.
  • Secrecy is maintained through threats, coercion, and bribery.
  • Perpetrators can include step/parents, family members, friend or lover of a parent, babysitters, clergy, teachers, authority figures, other trusted adults, and individuals unknown to the child.
  • Children are often groomed for sexual assault by the perpetrator, including but not limited to building trust, bestowing favors, alienation, secrecy, and violating boundaries. Grooming may take place over a period of weeks or years.

Incest refers to sexual abuse of a child by a relative or other person in a position of trust and authority over the child. The survivor is forced or coerced into a sexual relationship with the perpetrator and typically evolves over time.

  • Sexual contact or interaction between family members who are not marital partners.
  • Oral-genital contact, genital or anal penetration, genital touching of the victim by the perpetrator, any other touching of private body parts, sexual kissing and hugging.
  • Sexually staring at the victim by the perpetrator, accidental or disguised touching of the victim's body by the perpetrator, verbal invitations to engage in sexual activity, verbal ridiculing of body parts, pornographic photography, reading of sexually explicit material to children, and exposure to inappropriate sexual activity (Caruso, Beverly. (1987). The Impact of Incest. Center City, MN: Hazelden Educational Materials.)

For more information on child sexual assault and incest GO TO:

Date Rape and Marital Rape are terms used to identify the relationship between the perpetrator of the sexual assault and the survivor.

For more information dating violence and marital rape GO TO:

Human Trafficking is the recruitment and transportation of persons within or across boundaries by force, fraud, or deception for the purpose of exploiting them economically. Trafficked people most commonly work in sweatshops, restaurants, on farms, in manufacturing, prostitution and as private domestic workers." Definition by the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST).

For more information on trafficking GO TO:

Sexual Harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, and/or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

  • May involve a "sleep-with-me-or-you're-fired" experience.
  • May include an atmosphere of hostility for women in the workplace or classroom.
  • Experienced by males and females.
  • May include any type of sexual assault.
  • The harassment is meant to intimidate, humiliate, and degrade the survivor.
  • The person targeted is the one who defines whether the action(s) is harassment.

For more information on sexual harassment GO TO:

Possible Effects of Sexual Assault GO TO:
"Get Help Series"- The National Center for Victims of Crime is a national resource and advocacy organization.

STAGGERING STATISTICS

Perpetrators of sexual assault are more likely to be people like yourself and who are known to you. Measuring the extent of sexual violence is problematic. A high percentage of the assaults go unreported to law enforcement, and each state defines sexual assaults differently. Many survivors tell no one.

  • Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted. (Calculation by RAINN based on U. S. Department of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey of 2004.)
  • One out of eight adult American women has been the victim of forcible rape in her lifetime. (National Center for Victims of Crime & Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, 1992.)
  • In 1994, 64.2% of all rapes and sexual assaults were committed by offenders who were previously known to the victim. (Ringel, Cheryl. (1997). Criminal Victimization 1996: Changes 1995-96 with Trends 1993-96. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.)
  • Research indicates that 46 percent (46%) of children who are raped are victims of family members. (Langan, Patrick and Caroline Harlow. (1994). Child Rape Victims, 1992. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.)
  • About 44% of rape victims are under age 18, and 80% are under age 30. (U. S. Department of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey of 2004.)

For more information on statistics GO TO:

NEED HELP...GO TO...GET HELP NOW
OR
CALL 24/7 ~ HOTLINES FOR CRISIS SUPPORT

RAINN(Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
800- 656- HOPE | www.rainn.org
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape
888-772-PCAR | www.pcar.org
National Domestic Violence Hotline
800-799-7233 | TTY 800-787-3224 | www.ndvh.org
National Runaway Switchboard
800-621-4000 | www.nrscrisisline.org

TO TAKE ACTION TO END THE VIOLENCE GO TO STOPPING THE VIOLENCE