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Understanding Sexual Assault
What is sexual assault?
Sexual assault is any behaviour of a sexual nature that makes someone feel uncomfortable, frightened, intimidated or threatened.
It is sexual behaviour that someone has not agreed to, where another person uses physical or emotional force against them. It can include anything from sexual harassment through to life threatening rape. Some of these acts are serious indictable crimes.
The terms sexual assault and sexual abuse are often used interchangeably. Generally, the term sexual abuse refers to abuse that has happened in childhood and has occurred more than once. Sexual assault is often used to describe one-off incidents of sexual assault in adolescence and adulthood.
Sexual assault is an abuse of power.
Sexual assault is never the fault or responsibility of the victim survivor.
Examples of sexual assault include:
- Stalking: Repeatedly being followed or watched by someone.
- Rape: Being forced to have vaginal, anal or oral sex.
- Unwanted touching: Pinching, patting, embracing, rubbing, groping, flicking, kissing, fondling, being touched on the breasts, bum, legs etc.
- Sexual harassment: Dirty jokes or rude comments about a person’s sex life
- Obscene gestures: Simulating masturbation in front of a person
Voyeurism: Being watched doing intimate things without permission.
- Unwanted sexual comments or jokes: Comments about a person’s body or relationships.
- Sex-related insults: Calling someone a slut, dyke, homo, slag etc.
- Pressuring for dates or demand for sex: Invitations that turn into threats or not taking ‘no’ for an answer.
- Indecent exposure: Someone showing private parts of their body or ‘flashing’ their genitals.
- Being forced to watch or participate in pornography: Taking a photo without permission, forcing someone to be on video, making someone watch a pornographic movie.
- Offensive written material: Dirty notes, letters, phone messages, emails, SMS, pictures.
What causes sexual assault?
Sexual assault is both a consequence and a reinforcer of the power disparity existing largely between men, and women and children. It occurs within families and in multiple other settings and types of relationships.
There are many commonly held myths about sexual assault and what causes it. This resource from Victoria Police gives the facts.
What is the impact of sexual assault?
Impact of sexual assault on the lives of victim survivors is multi-faceted and complex.
It includes emotional, social, psychological, legal, health and political consequences. To facilitate a victim survivor's recovery from sexual violence, Sexual Assault Services Victoria recognises the importance of responding to each aspect in an appropriate and effective manner.
The impact of sexual assault can be compounded by factors such as gender, culture, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, religion, ability and socio-economic class.
Read more about the common impacts of sexual assault.
What does the law say about sex and sexual assault?
The basic laws about sex are that people can’t have sex together if:
- One of them is under the age of consent
- One person doesn’t want to
- They are in the same family.
If you have sex with someone underage or against their will it is a serious crime, called a sexual offence. Maximum penalties are between five and 25 years in prison.
Find out more about sex and the law at Victoria Legal Aid.
Information with thanks to SASVictoria.