Sexual Abuse
What is sexual abuse and sexual assault?
Sexual assault is when a person uses their power to control or dominate another person in a sexual manner.
It can be any behaviour that is threatening, violent, forced, coercive, or exploitative. and when a person has not or is unable to give consent to sexual behaviour.
It can take many forms:
- Sexual harassment (ie sexual comments, dirty jokes, leering, wolf whistles, etc)
- Exhibitionism
- Voyeurism
- An unwanted sexual touch
- Being forced, coerced or bribed to view pornographic images
- Being forced to masturbate or watch another masturbate
- Being forced to give or receive oral sex
- Being forced to perform sexual acts on themselves or others
- Sexual penetration of a person by penis, object or other part of the body into the vagina, anus or mouth
Sexual Abuse occurs when someone in a position of power and authority over another (adult or child) had taken advantage of that person’s trust and respect to involve them in sexual activity. Any of the above actions can be involved.
Sexual abuse can occur between:
- A child and an other child or adult
- A disabled person and a carer
- A patient and a medical practitioner
- A counsellor and a client
- A parishioner and a clergyman/woman
Sexual Assault and Abuse can result in:
-
Physical:
- Headaches
- Stomach aches
- Over eating
- Not eating enough
- Disturbed sleep
- Nightmares
- Flashbacks
-
Emotional:
- Angry outbursts
- Feeling unsafe
- Fear
- Loss of control
- Isolation
- Guilt
- Shame
- Rage