Sexual assault

Sexual assault is any type of sexual contact or sexual activity that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. Sexual acts such as forced sex, forced sodomy, pedophilia, incest, fondling, and attempted rape fall within the definition of sexual violence. Sexual assault can occur by a stranger, acquaintance, family member, or partner. According to the 2018 National Survey on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault, 1 in 4 women (27%) and 1 in 14 men (7%) have experienced sexual violence or sexual assault in their lifetime. It can happen to anyone, regardless of gender identity, age, income, or sexual orientation.

It's important to remember that sexual assault is never the victim's fault. It doesn't matter whether the victim had a previous relationship with the attacker, whether he drank alcohol or wore certain clothes. Only the attacker is responsible for the attack.

Definition of sexual violence

Sexual assault occurs when someone is forced or forced to perform a sexual act or behavior without their consent. This includes situations where consent is not possible due to age, disability, intoxication, fear, or other circumstances.

The term "sexual assault" is sometimes used interchangeably with rape. However, not all crimes classified as sexual assault are rapes. In fact, rape is just one type of sexual assault covered by federal law.  

Abusers may use emotional coercion, psychological force, or manipulation to coerce victims into nonconsensual sex acts. Some criminals coerce victims into compliance by threatening to harm them or their families. Violence can include financial force (such as your boss using his position of power against you) or physical incapacitation such as strangulation, the use of foreign objects, the use of handcuffs or the use of illegal drugs. It may also include physical force, such as doing something. Change your mental state. ability.

Attempted rape

Unwanted fondling or sexual contact

Forcing the victim to perform sexual acts such as oral sex or penetration of the attacker's body

Penetration of the victim's body. Also called rape.

Sexual violence takes many forms and is defined in many ways, but one thing remains constant: it is never the victim's fault.

What is the difference between sexual assault and sexual harassment? 

Sexual assault and sexual harassment are often used interchangeably. However, they have two different meanings. sexual violence

Sexual assault

 is a form of sexual violence that includes any type of forced or forced sexual contact. This may include unwanted touching, kissing or fondling of a person's private parts. It may also include rape, where someone forces a person to have sex against their will.

Vs

sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe. This includes activities such as stalking, sending lewd messages or photos, and making lewd comments. In some cases, sexual harassment can lead to sexual violence. We tend to only think about sexual harassment in the workplace, but sexual harassment does not exist in reality.

Is sexual assault the same as rape?

As mentioned above, the terms "sexual assault" and "rape" are often used interchangeably. Their definitions overlap, but they are not the same.

Rape is a form of sexual violence, but not all sexual assault is rape. The term "rape" is often used as a legal definition to refer to sexual penetration without consent. In its Uniform Crime Report, the FBI defines rape as "the vaginal or anal penetration of a woman's body or object, or oral penetration of a woman's genitals, no matter how minor." victim. ”

prevalence of sexual violence

A look at sexual assault statistics shows the scale of the problem. According to Stop Street Harassment, approximately 81% of women and 43% of men report experiencing violence or sexual harassment in their lifetime.

consequences of sexual violence

Although each survivor's experience is different, many survivors are affected by:

shame

Survivors believe they are bad, wrong, dirty, or permanently damaged. Sense of guilt

Survivors believe the violence is their fault. It is very difficult for survivors to place blame on those who attacked them. Often the attacker was a loved one they wanted to protect. Conversely, blaming the perpetrator may make you feel powerless. denial

A survivor says: » "This has only happened once." "It's okay, you don't need anything."

minimizing 

Minimizing attacks can be a survival strategy. This may also include abuse victims who believe that their abuse is not as bad as that of others. Those who support survivors need to recognize the impact of abuse and understand that it is normal for survivors to feel upset, traumatized, and hurt.

 border 

Because sexual violence is a violation of boundaries, it impacts the victim's perception of how and when to set boundaries. Survivors may generally know no limits. They may not know that they have the right to create and enhance it. Many survivors need help setting and maintaining boundaries. 

trust

Sexual violence is a betrayal of trust. Most survivors have difficulty trusting others as well as themselves and their perceptions. On the other hand, it can give everyone an insufficient level of confidence. 

safety

Survivors' sense of security has changed. They can evaluate dangerous situations as safe and perceive safe situations as dangerous. It is important to explore with survivors what makes them feel safe by asking specific questions about safety. insulation

This is a big problem for adult survivors. Many people feel that they don't deserve support, that they're dirty, and that others won't want to be their friend or lover. Survivors' (lack of) connection to their culture and community can exacerbate feelings of isolation. Survivors may have been rejected or rejected by their families and communities for disclosing that information. 

amnesia

Survivors may not remember what happened. In the long term, if the sexual assault occurred before they were able to speak, the victim may have no verbal memories. dissociation

The victim may have become insulated during the sexual assault incident. They may describe feeling like they are "floating out of their body" or "looking over their shoulder" during the abuse. Dissociation can occur even if the victim has not been assaulted/abused. Events and memories can trigger emotions and cause dissociation. 

anesthesia

The body is the site of sexual assault, and many survivors feel betrayed by their bodies in many ways. They may have tried to numb themselves or distance themselves from their bodies to avoid feeling the emotions caused by the abuse. Sometimes survivors may seek out experiences that cause more intense physical sensations, such as self-harm, because of the numbness. physical symptoms 

Survivors may experience somatic (physical) symptoms, eating disorders, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and physical symptoms related to the part of the body affected by the attack.

Therapies designed to treat assault and rape

 Post traumatic stress Therapy

Therapy is designed to treat people with severe anxiety and special precautions after having these situations.Rape therapy consists of these phases: 

Education - explains that fear is a normal response to trauma. It also learns signs that might be scary (for example, places that remind you of a rape victim).

Skill Development - Rape victims learn to control their physical and mental fear. This includes cognitive behavioral skills such as thought control, mental training, and self-regulation.

claims - Victims now use their new abilities to commit horrific acts. They also learn to avoid criticism and control their defensive behavior and self-esteem for their achievements.

Long-term rape therapy

 is also known as flooding and is the process of re-experiencing the trauma of rape through repeated exposure to traumatic memories. During lengthy treatment, victims were repeatedly asked to talk about the rape and process events that reminded them of the rape. Victims also listen to audio-recorded sessions of violence for greater exposure.Long-term rape therapy has been shown to treat post-traumatic stress disorder as well as depression and trauma-related guilt.

Cognitive Processing Therapy

Cognitive Processing Therapy was developed to help patients with PTSD and depression. This method of application, training, presentation and cognitive skills. Survivors are encouraged to describe parts of the trauma that involve “well-organized emotions,” also known as “objective points.”Rape therapy has been shown to effectively treat post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and guilt, as well as other emotions associated with rape.  

Psychotherapy 

Therapists provide unconditional positive attention, listening, and general support. Different psychotherapies may be involved client centered therapy, behavior therapy and psychoanalysis.