Definition: Sexual assault occurs when one person is forced or
coerced into participating in a sexual act to which he or she has not freely
consented.
Legal
Definition: Consent shall be
defined to mean positive cooperation in an act, or an attitude pursuant to an
exercise of free will. The person must act freely and voluntarily and have
knowledge of the nature of the act or transaction involved.
Note: Sexual assault is never your fault. Consent is
possible only when there is equal power. Giving in because of fear is not
consent. Giving in or going along with someone to gain approval or to avoid
being hurt is not consent.
Sexual Violence:
What is it?
Sexual violence is any kind of sexual
contact against person’s will and without consent. Sexual violence can happen
to anyone, regardless of their sex, gender, race, class, age, size appearance,
and sexual orientation. They are violent crimes used to exert power, humiliate,
and control. Some commonly heard terms that fall under the umbrella of sexual
violence include:
- Sexual harassment: Sexual harassment is the any unwelcome sexual advance, request for
sexual favor or other unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual
nature. Sexual harassment includes but is not limited to situations where
one person has authority over another. Sexual harassment can be verbal,
visual, physical or communicated in writing or electronically.
- Sexual Abuse: Any action performed by a person in order to feel sexually
stimulated without the other person’s consent, such as watching, touching,
or sexually assaulting the victim, or speaking to the victim in a sexual
nature.
What to do if you have been sexually assaulted
If you need immediate medical care or
are in danger, please call 213-761-6063 if you
are in the ESC, or 911 if you are off elsewhere.
- Get to a safe place if possible.
- Call someone who can help: a friend, the
police, or campus or community agencies (see resource list).
- Do not shower, drink, eat, brush your teeth,
or change your clothes. These activities can destroy physical evidence
that could be useful if you decide to prosecute. However, if you have
already done so (which is a perfectly normal response), you should still
seek medical care. These activities do not necessarily prevent the
collection of evidence.
- Get medical attention.
- Write down everything that you remember
happening with as much detail as possible. This can help you to cope with
the situation, but may also be helpful in any legal action you might
decide to take.
Common Reactions to Sexual Assault
- Distrust in self or in others
- Shock, numbness, disbelief, denial
- Depression and/or suicidal feelings
- Intense fear, anxiety, nervousness, panic
- Intimacy or relationship issues
- Self-blame, guilt, shame, embarrassment
It is common for a person who has
experienced a traumatic event to have a range of feelings and reactions. The
trauma can have a profound impact on a survivor initially following the assault
as well as years later. This trauma may be diminished in duration and
intensity by talking about what happened with friends or in a therapeutic
setting.
Supporting Your Friends
Here are some suggestions of ways you
can help a friend who has been sexually assaulted
- Listen and be supportive. Let the
victim know you care about her/him, that you believe her/him, and
that she/he is not alone.
- Give your friend a chance to talk about the
experience and her or his feelings.
- Be interested and empathic without prying or
pressing for details.
- Try not to criticize or judge.
- Respect the victim's decisions about what
she/he wants: who to tell, whether or not to report to the police, what
makes him/her feel safe, etc.
- If you are a man, be aware that her reaction
to you may be complicated; she may want affection, or she may have generalized
fears of all men
- Try not to express your own feelings of anger
or helplessness to the victim, or to project them onto her/him. Talk about
these feelings with another friend or professional counselor.