What is sexual violence?
Sexual violence is any sexual behaviour which negatively impacts on the victim physically and/or psychologically and can include:-
Childhood sexual abuse
This can be abuse perpetrated by a stranger, someone known to the family such as a babysitter, or a family member (otherwise known as incest).
Rape (including gang rape)
The legal definition for rape is of a person who intentionally penetrates the vagina, anus or mouth of another person with his penis. Perpetrators of rape can be strangers, acquaintances and partners. In fact, the majority of rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. Also see our Myths about rape section.
Sexual Assault
Someone intentionally touches someone else sexually with any part of their body or anything else, without consent. This can be through clothing and includes kissing.
Assault by penetration
This is intentional penetration of the vagina or anus of the victim with a body part or something else (does not include penetrating the mouth).
Date rape (drug-assisted sexual assault)
Reports of this have increased. The victim may be rendered unconscious and only remember small details, or nothing at all, of the incident. The drugs may prevent the victim from refusing to consent however the absence of a “no” does not mean “yes”.
Sexual Harassment
This can include touching which is sexual or not comfortable to the victim but not always. This can be a one-off occasion or multiple occurrences. It can include face to face sexual comments, over emails or via post.
Sexual coercion
This is when someone pressures another person into having sex with them. The perpetrator may not use physical force but may employ psychological techniques such as making threats to the victim that something bad will happen to them, or somebody else, if they do not have sex with them.
With-holding sex
Some perpetrators may deliberately withhold sex from their partners as a form of punishment, which can impact on the victim's confidence and self-esteem.
Keeping their partner pregnant
Some perpetrators keep their partners pregnant. The perpetrator may believe that if the victim is constantly pregnant then she is more likely to stay at home (so he knows where she is) and be less attractive to other men (lessening the likelihood of her finding another partner). Again, this is to control the victim and keep her where the perpetrator wants her.
Prostitution
Home Office figures show that up to 70 per cent of prostitutes spent time in care, 45 per cent report sexual abuse and 85 per cent physical abuse within their families (Figures from Paying the Price: a Consultation Paper on Prostitution, Home Office, 2004).
Many are homeless and up to 95 per cent of street prostitutes are on heroin or crack. Over the past 10 years, 48 women working as prostitutes have been murdered in the UK, according to figures from the Women’s Library in London.
Trafficking
Some definitions of trafficking are:- “Transport of women from third countries into the EU (including perhapssubsequent movements between member states) for the purpose of sexualexploitation” (European Commission, 1996, p2).
“All acts involved in the recruitment and/or transportation of a woman withinand across national borders for work or services by means of violence or threats ofviolence, abuse of authority or dominant position, debt bondage deception orother forms of coercion” (Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW),1999.
“Sex trafficking; the recruitment, transportation within or across borders, purchase, sale, transfer, receipt or harbouring of a person for the purpose of prostitution or exploiting the marriage or such a person” (Coalition AgainstTrafficking in Women (CATW), 1999.
What are the effects of sexual violence?
You can also download this information in the leaflet below.
Childhood sexual abuse
This can be abuse perpetrated by a stranger, someone known to the family such as a babysitter, or a family member (otherwise known as incest).
Rape (including gang rape)
The legal definition for rape is of a person who intentionally penetrates the vagina, anus or mouth of another person with his penis. Perpetrators of rape can be strangers, acquaintances and partners. In fact, the majority of rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. Also see our Myths about rape section.
Sexual Assault
Someone intentionally touches someone else sexually with any part of their body or anything else, without consent. This can be through clothing and includes kissing.
Assault by penetration
This is intentional penetration of the vagina or anus of the victim with a body part or something else (does not include penetrating the mouth).
Date rape (drug-assisted sexual assault)
Reports of this have increased. The victim may be rendered unconscious and only remember small details, or nothing at all, of the incident. The drugs may prevent the victim from refusing to consent however the absence of a “no” does not mean “yes”.
Sexual Harassment
This can include touching which is sexual or not comfortable to the victim but not always. This can be a one-off occasion or multiple occurrences. It can include face to face sexual comments, over emails or via post.
Sexual coercion
This is when someone pressures another person into having sex with them. The perpetrator may not use physical force but may employ psychological techniques such as making threats to the victim that something bad will happen to them, or somebody else, if they do not have sex with them.
With-holding sex
Some perpetrators may deliberately withhold sex from their partners as a form of punishment, which can impact on the victim's confidence and self-esteem.
Keeping their partner pregnant
Some perpetrators keep their partners pregnant. The perpetrator may believe that if the victim is constantly pregnant then she is more likely to stay at home (so he knows where she is) and be less attractive to other men (lessening the likelihood of her finding another partner). Again, this is to control the victim and keep her where the perpetrator wants her.
Prostitution
Home Office figures show that up to 70 per cent of prostitutes spent time in care, 45 per cent report sexual abuse and 85 per cent physical abuse within their families (Figures from Paying the Price: a Consultation Paper on Prostitution, Home Office, 2004).
Many are homeless and up to 95 per cent of street prostitutes are on heroin or crack. Over the past 10 years, 48 women working as prostitutes have been murdered in the UK, according to figures from the Women’s Library in London.
Trafficking
Some definitions of trafficking are:- “Transport of women from third countries into the EU (including perhapssubsequent movements between member states) for the purpose of sexualexploitation” (European Commission, 1996, p2).
“All acts involved in the recruitment and/or transportation of a woman withinand across national borders for work or services by means of violence or threats ofviolence, abuse of authority or dominant position, debt bondage deception orother forms of coercion” (Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW),1999.
“Sex trafficking; the recruitment, transportation within or across borders, purchase, sale, transfer, receipt or harbouring of a person for the purpose of prostitution or exploiting the marriage or such a person” (Coalition AgainstTrafficking in Women (CATW), 1999.
What are the effects of sexual violence?
- Depression and/or anxiety or other mental health issues.
- Shame and guilt (note: sexual violence is never the victim/survivors fault)
- Time off of work or education.
- Physical illness.
- Problems with food/eating such as eating disorders.
- Self harm.
- Difficulty with parenting or other relationships.
- Problems with sex and intimacy.
- Low confidence and self esteem.
- Misuse of drugs (including prescription drugs) and/or alcohol.
You can also download this information in the leaflet below.
| csvss_information_leaflet.pdf |
