What is sexual violence?
It doesn’t matter:
- What you were wearing
- If you know and trust the perpetrator (including a partner)
- If you don’t know the perpetrator
- If you were drunk or had taken drugs
Sexual violence is any sexual activity that happens without consent.
Sexual violence involves one or more of the following:
- Coersion
- Threats
- Aggression
- Deception
- Pressure
- Manipulation
- Intimidation
- Force
- Violence
Anyone can commit sexual violence- a partner, friends, neighbours, family, care workers, volunteers. Any adult.
Examples of sexual abuse:
- Sexual assault– sexual touching of another person without their consent, with any part of the body or anything else. This includes unwanted kissing, touching or being forced to perform sexual acts.
- Indecent exposure– someone flashing or exposing themselves to you in person or online
- Sexual teasing or innuendo– unwanted comments about your body or sex life
- Rape– the intentional penetration with a penis of another person’s vagina, anus or mouth without consent. The removal of a condom without the other person’s consent during sex- known as stealthing is also considered rape.
- Image based sexual abuse– such as sharing intimate images without consent, threatening to share these images or creating deepfakes. Other examples include cyber flashing (sending pictures of genitals without consent) and down blousing (using equipment to take pictures up or down people’s clothing to take pictures of breasts or underwear)
- Sexual harassment– any unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature- for example being stared at or being sent messages with sexual content.
- Child sexual abuse– any kind of sexual activity that happens to children or young people under the age of 18 without their consent.
There are behaviours unique to those people who identify as LGBT+. These include:
- Corrective rape– rape aimed at changing sexual orientation
- Hate motivated sexual violence and harassment– targeting someone purely for their perceived gender or sexuality
- Conversion therapy– interventions which seek to ‘cure’ sexuality including (but not limited to) spiritual counselling, corrective rape and behaviour modification.
Staying Put ISVAs
Our Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) can support anyone who has been the victim of sexual violence – no matter when the incident took place.
Our ISVAs can support you if you are thinking about reporting the crime, or if your case is going through the criminal justice system. We can help you through the court process and explain what is likely to happen when a report is made to the police.
We have excellent links with the SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) and can explain their role in helping you.
80-90% of sexual violence is committed by someone the survivor knows.
Sexual abuse does not always involve physical force, but also occurs through coercion, threats and psychological manipulation.
It doesn’t always leave marks- a significant proportion of survivors have no visible injuries
Survivors may not always report their assault straight away- or at all. There are many reasons why, including the trauma it causes
Not all survivors of sexual violence react the same way- different people respond differently to trauma
Anyone can be the victim of sexual violence- regardless of age, gender, class, religion or ethnicity
False allegations of rape are rare- it is more common for this to go unreported
If you would like to read more on what is counted as sexual violence, or the technical definitions of sexual offences, have a look at the following links, although be aware that the wording is very graphic and may cause upset:
We can help you if you need support following an act (or acts) of sexual violence. It doesn’t matter how long ago it was, if you need support you can contact us and we will help you.
It’s not just you.
Did you know, thanks to Clare’s Law, you have the right to ask if your partner has an abusive past? Anyone can ask- whether something is off in your relationship or you are a close friend, neighbour or family member.
Beverly* was subjected to years of rape and domestic abuse by her partner. Here’s how we helped
Call for help now
0808 2800 999
Open Monday - Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm (Closed for half an hour at lunch at 1pm)
Our One Front Door helpline is completely free and confidential, and the call will not show up on itemised bills.
Leave the abuse, not your home
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