Sexual Violence – A Universal Human Issue

Sexual violence is a serious crime and has long term consequences for victims. This includes psychological and emotional trauma as well as physical health issues such as gynaecological, gastrointestinal or cardiovascular problems. It is a universal human issue which impacts all communities across the globe regardless of socioeconomic status, culture or religion. Sexual violence is also a leading cause of suicide. It is important to recognise that sexual assault, rape and harassment can affect anyone at any time, including infants, people in later life, women, men, people who define themselves as lesbian, bisexual or transgender, and those with disabilities.

There is no excuse or justification for sexual violence and it is never the victim’s fault. It doesn’t matter if the victim was dressed in a sexy outfit, drinking alcohol or using drugs, out alone at night or with the perpetrator. It does not matter if the victim screamed, tried to run away or fight back. The blame lies with the perpetrator – it is not the victim’s fault that they did not fight harder or faster.

Most often, sexual assaults are committed by someone the person knows – friends, acquaintances or family members – although some are carried out by strangers. In the USA, approximately 82% of sexual assaults are committed by a known individual. Many people are surprised to learn that sexual assault and rape is a common problem in their community and that it can happen to people they know.

Many survivors are ashamed to talk about their experience and may feel they should not have been sexually assaulted because of some societal belief that it is acceptable. People who are victimized by sexual assault are more likely to suffer from a range of negative social responses which increase their level of stress and depression, as well as their risk for substance misuse. These responses include stigma, discrimination and negative societal attitudes which are all barriers to effective prevention of sexual violence.

Research suggests that the incidence of sexual assaults is closely related to the perception and acceptance of the gendered nature of power relations in a culture. Sociocentric cultures where a man’s role is to dominate a woman, as well as ego-centric cultures where relations with the self are more important, tend to have higher levels of sexual violence and exploitation of women.

Regardless of cultural differences, all forms of sexual violence have devastating consequences for the victim and their families. This is true for all cultures across the globe. It is a major public health issue that is not being addressed adequately, with the victims of sexual assault being ignored or neglected and the perpetrators of sexual violence being tolerated. The impact of sexual assault is far reaching and has a significant negative effect on the quality of life of survivors, their children, their families and society as a whole. We need to re-examine our beliefs and attitudes towards the perpetrators of sexual assault and take action to eliminate it.