About sexual violence and abuse

Sexual violence and abuse is any kind of sexual activity or act that is unwanted or involved one or more of the following:

• pressure
• manipulation
• bullying
• intimidation
• threats
• deception
• force

This doesn't have to be in person. It can take place online too.

Find out more about consent.

Types of sexual violence and abuse

There are a number of different types including child sexual abuse, rape and sexual assault.

Rape Crisis provide more information about types of sexual violence.

Many of the myths surrounding sexual violence and abuse can make victims and survivors feel as though they are somehow to blame or that what happened to them wasn’t ‘real’.

No-one ever deserves or asks for sexual violence or abuse to happen. All of the blame lies with the perpetrator or perpetrators.

You should know that sexual violence or abuse:

• may not leave visible injuries
• may not involve other physical violence or weapons
• happened, even if the victim didn't try to run away or fight - find out more about responses
• is not always committed by a stranger - victims often know or trust their perpetrator who may be a friend, colleague, family member, partner or ex-partner
• can involve feelings of arousal or having an orgasm - experiencing these doesn't mean what happened wasn't sexual violence or abuse
• victims and survivors never 'asked for it' - it doesn't matter what they were wearing or what happened before events took place