Sexual violence is pervasive. Every day women and girls face unwanted sexual contact ranging from subtle acts like catcalling (receiving sexually suggestive comments) when walking down the street, unwanted sexual stares from strangers, sexual comments or jokes from classmates or colleagues, to more direct and grievous acts like sexual harassment for example unwanted touching while commuting on public transportation, molestation, stalking, assault and even rape.
In fact, it is estimated around 1 in 3 women have experienced sexual violence and the true numbers are believed to be higher as many survivors do not report their sexual assault.1
Sexual violence occurs in every community and country and is deeply rooted in gender and social norms. While the majority of sexual violence are against girls and women, sexual violence also happens to boys, men and people from the LGBTQ community.2
By understanding sexual violence, we can help address this issue and work towards preventing the problem and protecting our communities and societies.
What is sexual violence?3
Sexual violence is when you experience any type of unwanted sexual contact. Sexual violence can be words or actions that are of a sexual nature against someone without their consent. You can experience sexual violence in person as well as through technology also known as technology facilitated sexual violence (TFSV). It is also considered sexual violence when someone is forced, threatened or manipulated as a way to get them to agree to a sexual act or to commit an act of sexual violence.
Sexual violence encompasses various acts of unwanted sexual contact and can look like:
– Sexual harassment
– Unwanted sexual contact or touching
– Sharing of private images or videos
– Rape or sexual assault
– Sexual assault by a partner or spouse – also known as marital rape
– Child sexual assault or incest
– Exposing one’s genitals or naked body to others without their consent
– Masturbating in public
– Sexual exploitation and trafficking
– Female genital mutilation or FGM
In sexual violence, consent is a key factor.
Consent is an agreement that is clearly communicated between two people to engage in sexual activity.4 Consent cannot be given by people who are underage, intoxicated or under the use of alcohol or drugs, or if they are asleep or unconscious. If you agree to a sexual activity under threat or force, this is not considered consent because your consent was not given freely.
In situations where there are sexual relations between teachers and their students or managers and their employees, consent is not freely given because of the unequal power dynamics.
Consent means your total freedom to agree to a sexual activity and being able to withdraw your consent at any time – including during the sexual activity itself.
Who are the Perpetrators of Sexual Violence? 5,6
When we think of sexual violence, most of us imagine a stranger attacking and raping a woman in the dark quiet streets late at night.
The truth could not be further as most survivors of sexual violence know their attacker or perpetrator.
In cases of rape, around 90% of women and 93% of children and teenagers knew their rapist. The survivor’s relationship with their perpetrator could be as a boyfriend or husband, family member, colleague, classmate, neighbor or acquaintance. For women, their perpetrators are often a current or former intimate partner and for children, it is often someone the child knows and trusts.
Not only do survivors of sexual violence often know their perpetrator but the incidents of sexual violence occurs in places where many of us find safety and security – our homes and community. Around 66% of sexual assault incidents occur at home or in residential setting and 18% in community spaces like schools, workplaces, churches, mosques and other religious settings, hospitals, police stations, public transportation, and shared public places.7
Surviving Sexual Violence
Survivors of sexual violence can face life long psychological, emotional, physical and health consequences. At its core, sexual violence ruins our sense of safety and trust in others. While people are affected differently, this fundamental need of humans for safety or in this instance, a lack of safety due to the sexual violence, creates uncertainty and instability for people to lead a secure, stable and well functioning life.
If you are a survivor of sexual violence, know that it is not your fault.
Reach out to people you trust, find organizations in your area to support you or search online for information that will help in your recovery.
References
- https://www.who.int/news/item/09-03-2021-devastatingly-pervasive-1-in-3-women-globally-experience-violence
- https://www.icrc.org/en/document/sexual-gender-violence-against-men-boys-lgbtiq
- https://www.nsvrc.org/about-sexual-assault
- https://www.rainn.org/articles/what-is-consent
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1524838020977146#bibr10-1524838020977146
- https://www.rainn.org/statistics/perpetrators-sexual-violence
- https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/sexual-violence-victimisation
Header Photo: Pixaby
On Culture and Mental Health 