Sexual assault
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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]
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[edit] Rape
Perpetrators of rapes may include, but are not limited to, strangers, acquaintances, neighbors, superiors, legal entities (as in the case of torture), or family members. Generally, victims are much more likely to be assaulted by an acquaintance (such as a friend or co-worker), a dating partner, an ex-boyfriend or an intimate partner than by a complete stranger.[4]
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.[5] Incest between a child or adolescent and a related adult has been identified as the most widespread form of child sexual abuse with a huge capacity for damage to a child.[5]
[edit] See also
- Rape
- Sexual Abuse
- Sexual violence
- Medical emergency
- R v Collins
- Sexual assault in the U.S. military
- Healing Through Creativity
- Tailhook scandal
- 2003 U.S. Air Force Academy sexual assault scandal
[edit] 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.
- ^ Abbey, A., BeShears, R., Clinton-Sherrod, A. M., & McAuslan, P. (2004). Psychology of Women Quarterly, 28, 323-332."Similarities and differences in women's sexual assault experiences based on tactics used by the perpetrator". Accessed 9 July 2008.
- ^ a b Courtois, Christine A. (1988). Healing the Incest Wound: Adult Survivors in Therapy. W. W. Norton & Company, p208. ISBN 0393313565.
[edit] Further reading
- Wishart, G.D. (2003). "The Sexual Abuse of People with Learning Difficulties: Do We Need A Social Model Approach To Vulnerability?", Journal of Adult Protection, Volume 5 (Issue 3).
[edit] External links
[edit] 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)
- The Victim Rights Law Center (The National Pioneer of Legal Services to Victims of Sexual Assault)
[edit] Support and healing 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
- Healing Through Creativity an organization that holds an creativity event each year in WV and has an online support message board and chat room
[edit] Research and information
- Award Winning Documentary on Sexual Assault and Healing
- Rape Crisis Information Pathfinder- research on sexual assault
- Rape and Sexual Assault: What You Should Know
- U.S. Army Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Program
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