The Complexity of Sexual Violence

Sexual violence is any kind of sexual activity or act that takes place without consent – including child sexual abuse, sex assault and rape. It does not matter who is involved, where it happens or what they were doing – no one deserves or asks for sexual violence to happen to them. Survivors of sexual assault and abuse may experience emotional, psychological and physical impacts. These include feelings of anger, guilt, fear, shame and depression. They may also develop a sense of powerlessness and struggle to trust others. Sexual violence can have a wide-ranging impact on the victims and their families, friends, workplaces and communities.

Perpetrators use a variety of strategies to coerce their victims into non-consensual sex. The majority of perpetrators are someone known to the victim – often an intimate partner or family member – but other people who have contact with the victim (friends, acquaintances and strangers) may also commit sexual violence against them. Generally, the force used is not necessarily physical. It can be psychological or emotional, for example threats, manipulation, bribery or intimidation. Almost all victims of sexual violence are attacked by someone they know – this is called domestic or interpersonal sex abuse.

It is important that we understand the complexity of sexual assault and abuse. We must avoid stereotyping and blaming victims, as it is not their fault that sexual violence or assault occurs. Perpetrators are responsible for this type of behaviour and they have a sense of entitlement, believing that they have the right to sexually assault, abuse or harass others. They are often motivated by a desire for power and control over their victims.

Many people believe that it is the responsibility of a male victim to defend themselves against sex attacks or fight off their attacker. This belief contributes to the myth that a man who does not fight off a sex attack is weak and does not respect men. This type of sex bias is harmful to all victims, regardless of their gender. In addition, it may lead to an inflated sense of power in perpetrators who perceive any resistance as an insult to their manhood, causing them to use more violence.

A survivor’s body is where the sexual abuse took place and it can be difficult for them to feel comfortable or safe in their bodies after a traumatic event like sexual assault. As a result, survivors may have issues with eating, sleeping, or even moving their bodies. They might feel disassociated or numb from the parts of their bodies that were touched by the perpetrator and as a result might experience self-harm, alcohol and drug use or other unhealthy coping strategies.

Survivors are often made to feel like they did something wrong, especially if their perpetrator was someone they knew or trusted. This can affect their relationships with other people and create feelings of betrayal, guilt and shame. Survivors of sexual assault often struggle to establish and maintain boundaries with others – some of them do not even know what their own boundaries are.