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King Edward Memorial Hospital
SARC What is Sexual Assault and Sexual Abuse?
What are the Effects on Family and Friends?
How can Family and/or Friends Help?
Why Does Sexual Violence Happen?
What is Sexual Assault?
It is ANY unwanted sexual act or behaviour, which a person did not consent to or was not able to consent to.
- Sexual harassment (e.g. sexual comments, dirty jokes, wolf whistling)
- Unwanted sexual touching (e.g. kissing, hugging)
- Exposing themselves to you
- Making you watch a sexual act, such as pornographic material
- Being forced to masturbate
- Being forced to give or receive oral sex
- Being forced to perform any sexual act
Sexual Assault is a Crime
What is Sexual Abuse?
It is when someone in authority or higher power takes advantage of you by involving you in sexual activity. Any of the
examples above can be included as sexual abuse.
- A child and adult
- A child and an older child
- A patient and a doctor
- Student and teacher
- Employee and employer
Sexual Abuse is a Crime
What is Sexual Violence?
Sexual violence is an umbrella term that includes sexual assault and/or sexual abuse. The term "sexual violence" reminds
us that most sexual crimes are not about sex. The term, sexual violence, will be used in this website when talking
about sexual assault and sexual abuse.
Sexual Violence is a Crime
What are the Effects?
Sexual violence can be a humiliating, degrading and terrifying experience. It can have short and long term effects, but
can also affect people in many different ways.
- numb
- sick
- dirty
- scared for no reason
- worthless
- sad
- paranoid
- angry
- tired all the time
- unsafe
- shock
Each person feels differently after an assault or abuse and their feelings may change from one day to the next. Talking to someone about the experience may help a person to cope with these feelings and to heal.
What are the Effects on Family and Friends?
Sexual violence can not only affect the person who experienced it, but also their family and friends.
- grief
- frustration
- confusion
- guilt
- wanting revenge
- anger
How can Family and/or Friends Help?
Regardless of when the person was sexually assaulted or sexually abused, it is important for family and friends to
provide support.
- believing in the person
- encouraging them to talk about their feelings if they want to
- telling them its not their fault
- making them feel safe
- not judging the person
It is also important that family and friends seek support and help to talk about their own feelings.
Why Does Sexual Violence Happen?
Sexual violence is not about sex. The majority of sexual assaults and sexual abuse are committed by offenders who
want to make themselves feel powerful at the expense of another person.
They are usually planned attacks by people we know.
Sexual assault or sexual abuse does NOT happen because of the dress or behaviour of the victim.
Who Does it Happen to?
Sexual violence can happen to any woman, man and child, regardless of race or culture.
The recent Personal Safety Survey (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2005) found that one in six Australian women over the age of 16yrs had experienced sexual assault.
Who Commits Sexual Violence?
Sexual violence is committed by both men and women. However, the majority of offenders are well-respected and
trusted males who have a family and job.
Having been sexually abused as a child or having a mental illness does NOT make people more likely to become abusers.
To find out more facts about sexual violence, go to FAQ's.
