Sexual assault

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This article is about a form of sexual violence. For other uses, see Sexual assault (disambiguation).

Sexual assault is any assault of a sexual nature on another person. Though sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may be of a man on a man, woman on a man or woman on a woman.[1] While sexual assaults are associated with the crime of rape, it may cover assaults which would not be considered to be rapes.[2]

What constitutes a sexual assault is determined by the laws of the jurisdiction where the assault takes place, which vary considerably, and are influenced by local social and cultural attitudes.

It has been said that sexual assault includes rape, forced vaginal, anal or oral penetration, forced sexual intercourse, inappropriate touching, forced kissing, child molestation and the torture of the victim in a sexual manner.[3]

1 Rape
2 See also
3 References
4 Further reading
5 External links

Rape

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Main article: Rape

Perpetrators of rapes may include, but are not limited to, strangers, acquaintances, superiors, legal entities (as in the case of torture), or family members. Generally, victims are more likely to be assaulted by an acquaintance (such as a friend or co-worker), an intimate partner, or a family member than by a complete stranger.

Sexual intercourse is sometimes accomplished by violence or force sufficient to cause physical injury. More often, it is accomplished by psychological coercion alone, with no overt physical injuries to the victim. However, even when no lasting physical injury is sustained, the psychological damage done by this form of intimate violation may be substantial.

Studies have shown that the psychological damage is often particularly severe when sexual assault is committed by parents against children due to the incestuous nature of the assault.[citation needed]

References

^ Chapter 6: Female Sex Offenders, All about Female Offenders, by Katherine Ramsland.
^ Assault, Black's Law Dictionary, 8th Edition. See also Ibbs v The Queen, High Court of Australia, 61 ALJR 525, 1987 WL 714908 (sexual assault defined as sexual penetration without consent); Sexual Offences Act 2003 Chapter 42 s 3 Sexual assault (United Kingdom), (sexual assault defined as sexual contact without consent), and Chase v. R. 1987 CarswellNB 25 (Supreme Court of Canada) (sexual assault defined as force without consent of a sexual nature)
^ Frequently Asked Questions About Women's Health: Sexual Assault, The National Women's Health Information Center, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

External links

National organizations

MenCanStopRape.org
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the United States' largest anti-sexual assault organization.
Sexual Assault Care Centre Scarborough, An extensive resource for victims/survivors of sexual assault.
The Awareness Center, Inc. (Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault)

Support organizations

After Silence, online support group and forums and chat room for survivors of rape and sexual abuse, and their supporters.
Pandora's Aquarium, an online support group, message board, and chat room for sexual assault survivors and their supporters.
Support for Victims and Their Family, Support for Victims and Their Family