You Should Know About Rape (S e x u a l Assault)
S e x u a l assault is any illegal s e x u a l contact that involves forcing a person without their consent or inflicting such contact with someone who is unable to give consent due to age or physical or mental capabilities.
S e x u a l assault may also involve S e x u a l contact that is inflicted by someone who is trusted by or has authority over the victim.
S e x u a l harassment is defined as unwanted S e x u a l behavior that interferes with the victim's work or school life.
S e x u a l battery refers to contact with an intimate body part of another person that is unwanted by the victim and is done in order for the perpetrator to achieve S e x u a l arousal, gratification, or misuse.
Any S e x u a l assault that involves inflicting physical injury or maiming of the victim is described as being aggravated S e x u a l assault.
Rape is unlawful S e x u a l activity involving S e x u a l intercourse that happens by force or under the threat of some form of harm.
Rape occurs in a variety of contexts, as in childhood marriage, as a form of torture and is sometimes perpetrated by members of the military on their own colleagues.
States tend to legally define first-, second-, and third-degree rape and S e x u a l assault based on the age of the victim and the perpetrator, and/or the amount of force, brutality, and threat inflicted on the victim.
Unfortunately, rape is grossly underreported to law enforcement.
A majority of victims of S e x u a l victimization indicate that the perpetrator is known to them, like an acquaintance as in date rape, or by a family member or friend.
Signs and symptoms of someone who has been S e x u a l assaulted or raped tend to include a variety of emotional, behavioral, social, and work-related problems.
Some ways to prevent S e x u a l assault and rape are to lessen the life risk factors for being the victim or perpetrator of these crimes.
If left untreated, the physical and psychological effects of S e x u a l assault and rape can be devastating, sometimes even deadly.
The primary consideration for caring for victims of rape or other S e x u a l assault is to focus on the needs of the victim during this crisis, providing timely, appropriate medical, mental health, and legal assessment and care by specially trained and experienced professionals in a timely manner.
What Is S e x u a l Assault?
S e x u a l assault is defined as any illegal S e x u a l contact that involves forcing a person without their consent or inflicting such contact on someone who is unable to give consent due to their age or to physical or mental incapacities. S e x u a l assault may also involve S e x u a l contact that is inflicted by someone who is trusted by or has authority over the victim. Incest is one example of childhood S e x u a l misuse that is perpetrated by a trusted person who often has authority over the victim, as when a parent or sibling engages in such a violation on another family member.
S e x u a l harassment is defined as unwanted S e x u a l behavior that interferes with the victim's work or school life. It does not include behaviors that are wanted or welcome, like desired flirting, kissing, or touching. Unfortunately, S e x u a l assault and S e x u a l harassment take place in a variety of settings. The most common site where young women report S e x u a l harassment is at school, including on college campuses. The workplace is another site of S e x u a l harassment. While the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission received 6,862 complaints of S e x u a l harassment in the workplace in 2014, many more individuals feel they have been the victim of such unwanted behavior but have not reported it. More than 17.5% of workplace S e x u a l harassment charges in 2014 were filed by men.
S e x u a l battery refers to contact with an intimate body part of another person that is unwanted by the victim and is done in order for the perpetrator to achieve S e x u a l arousal, gratification, or misuse. It may occur whether or not the victim is wearing clothes or not. Any S e x u a l assault that involves inflicting physical injury or maiming of the victim is described as being aggravated S e x u a l assault.
In 2011, there were 8,763 allegations of S e x u a l victimization of inmates in prison, jails, and other adult correctional facilities. Most S e x u a l assaults that take place during incarceration are homo S e x u a l rapes, in that the perpetrator and the victim are of the same gender. Detention and other incarceration is often the setting for rape or other S e x u a l assault for boys and men.
What Is Rape?
The definition of rape is unlawful S e x u a l activity involving S e x u a l intercourse that happens by force or under the threat of harm. It is important to note that the threat of harm may take many different forms, like the threat of physical harm, loss of employment, reputation, or social status. Other facts about this form of S e x u a l violation include that about 15% of women and 3% of men over 17 years of age report being raped at some time during their lifetime. About 10% of rapes are committed by more than one attacker. Rape occurs in a variety of contexts. It takes place in some societies in the form of childhood marriage, is used to torture and demoralize others in times of war, and is sometimes perpetrated by members of the military on their own colleagues.
States tend to legally define first-, second-, and third-degree rape and S e x u a l assault based on the age of the victim and the perpetrator, and/or the amount of force, brutality, and threat inflicted on the victim. Unfortunately, rape is grossly underreported to law enforcement. The approximately 92,000 reported cases of rape each year reflect only a portion of the actual number of rapes that occur. Individuals of all races, religions, S e x u a l orientation, and socioeconomic levels can be the victim of rape. While women of Native American/Alaskan and of mixed race apparently report being S e x u a l assaulted at higher rates than women of other races, it is unknown if that is because it is reported at higher rates or actually indicates a higher rate of S e x u a l victimization for individuals in those ethnic groups.
A majority of victims of S e x u a l victimization indicate that the perpetrator is known to them, like an acquaintance as in date rape, or by a family member or friend. More than 7% of women and about 0.3% of men are the victim of marital rape or rape by a former spouse, current or former partner they live with, or by a date at some time in their life. Men who perpetrate spousal rape tend to be motivated by having a position of power in their marriage, to minimize or deny their abusive actions, and to use their children to manipulate their wife and impose male privilege.
Women on college campuses are at more risk than other women, in that about one in five college women are the victim of rape during their college career. Most S e x u a l assaults occur in private areas like a home, hotel, or vehicle rather than in a public place. When rape is committed against a person who is under a certain age, it is called statutory rape.
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