Sexual violence is any sexual act that is perpetrated against someone’s will. Sexual violence encompasses a range of offenses, including a completed nonconsensual sex act (i.e., rape), an attempted nonconsensual sex act, abusive sexual contact (i.e., unwanted touching) and non-contact sexual abuse (e.g., threatened sexual violence, exhibitionism, verbal sexual harassment). These four types are defined in more detail below. All types involve victims who do not consent, or who are unable to consent or refuse to allow the act.
A completed sex act is defined as contact between the penis and the vulva or the penis and the anus involving penetration, however slight; contact between the mouth and penis, vulva or anus; or penetration of the anal or genital opening of another person by a hand, finger or other object.
An attempted (but not completed) sex act.
Abusive sexual contact is defined as intentional touching, either directly or through the clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh or buttocks of any person without his or her consent, or of a person who is unable to consent or refuse.
Non-contact sexual abuse does not include physical contact of a sexual nature between the perpetrator and the victim. It includes acts such as voyeurism; intentional exposure of an individual to exhibitionism; unwanted exposure to pornography; verbal or behavioral sexual harassment; threats of sexual violence to accomplish some other end; or taking nude photographs of a sexual nature of another person without his or her consent or knowledge, or of a person who is unable to consent or refuse.
It doesn’t always take physical force to sexually assault a victim. Threats and intimidation can make a victim feel afraid or unable to refuse the sexual activity. Sometimes people use manipulation to get someone to give into sex. “If you really loved me, you’d do it.”
Date rape is sexual assault that occurs in a dating or social situation. Most victims are assaulted by someone they know.
A person who is drunk, drugged, unconscious, too young or mentally disabled is not legally able to agree to sexual contact. There are age limits on when a young person can legally give consent to sexual activity (check your state law). The age of consent in Florida is 18.
Sexual assault is never the victim’s fault. For sexual activity to be okay, it must be consensual, which means that both people want it to happen.
A person who is drunk, drugged, unconscious, too young or mentally disabled is not legally able to agree to sexual contact. There are age limits on when a young person can legally give consent to sexual activity (check your state law). The age of consent in Florida is 18.
Sexual assault is never the victim’s fault. For sexual activity to be okay, it must be consensual, which means that both people want it to happen.