Sexual Assault/Abuse

Non-consensual sexual contact.  The offender may be an acquaintance, relative or a stranger and the attack can be alcohol- or drug-facilitated. Rape can include penetration, unwanted fondling and oral sex.

Child sexual abuse is the sexual exploitation or victimization of a child by an adult, adolescent, or older child.   The difference in age and authority between children and offender makes informed consent impossible.  Most often, the abuser is known to the child.  It includes penetration, fondling, exhibitionism, prostitution, and photographing a child for pornography.

Unwanted sexual pressure that one person inflicts on another in an effort to control, humiliate and assert dominance.  It primarily includes three forms of harassment:  verbal (sexually explicit or suggestive talk, homophobic slurs, repeated requests for a date after a person has said no), physical (flashing or indecent exposure, being physically followed, being touched or brushed up against in a sexual way without consent) and cyber (use of phone and/or text to harass).

Sexual relations between family members.  The difference in age and authority between children and offender makes informed consent impossible. Includes vaginal, anal, or oral penetration, fondling, exhibitionism, prostitution, and photographing a child for pornography.