What is Sexual Assault

Because Everyone's Journey IS Different!

Sexual assault is any sexual contact or behavior that occurs without consent. It can include unwanted or forced kissing, groping, and touching, as well as other sexual acts and attempted or completed rape. While rape is often legally defined as involving penetration, rape can be more inclusively defined as any sexual intercourse that occurs without consent. This includes non-consensual sexual intercourse that occurs between people of any and all genders and sexualities (Learn more about gender and sexuality here). All forms of sexual assault, including rape, are never the victim’s fault.

The common thread between all forms of sexual violence is a lack of consent. Consent is the active and ongoing process of clarifying and respecting the boundaries of other people - boundaries that include physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual boundaries. When consent is active and ongoing, all parties are making the active effort to clarify their partner’s boundaries, and all parties don’t assume that consent given in the past means the person consents in the present. For example, someone could say at the beginning of the night that they feel comfortable having sex, but could change their mind later.

Consent can be violated in a number of ways. The use of physical force is obviously a violation of consent, but other violations can be more insidious. Ignoring requests to stop, claiming that they can’t stop, or saying “I know you want this” when someone is saying no are all violations of consent. Consent cannot be given when someone is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Despite the high rates of sexual violence in the US, rape is often not reported, and when it is reported it is rare for the rapist to face any kind of criminal punishment. Unfortunately, the barriers and social consequences victims face are often far more serious than anything their rapist ever will.

The social factors that protect rapists and punish victims lead to a social structure known as rape culture, where our larger culture tends to ignore the severity and scope of sexual violence and blame victims for the crime.

Sexual Assault and Disabilities

Because rapists specifically target people whom they perceive to be vulnerable, people with disabilities are more than twice as likely as the general population to face sexual violence. Some persons with disabilities are unable to voice or clarify their boundaries, making it impossible for them to consent to sexual acts. Others may be confused about boundaries with caregivers, especially if the caregiver touches them frequently for necessary care. Many people with disabilities are never educated about sex because of ableist attitudes toward sexuality, making it difficult to tell the difference between consensual sex acts and non-consensual sex acts. #1MillionSurvivorsStories

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