Sexual Assault -- What is it?

What is Sexual Assault?
Sexual Assault is any type of sexual activity that is unwanted, by someone to whom you have not given your consent. A sexual assault may include the use of physical force, threats or intimidation. Sexual assault is a crime.

Someone touching, fondling or kissing you when you don't want them to,

Someone masturbating you or forcing you to masturbate them or being forced to take part in oral sex,

Someone raping you or trying to rape you.

Someone forcing you to perform sexual acts
The law says that you could not have freely agreed (consented) if:

You were asleep or unconscious, or had been drinking or taking drugs and you were not aware of what was going on,

Your attacker had used or threatened to use force against you or someone else,

You thought that what was happening were for medical reasons; for example, if a doctor gave you an internal examination which had nothing to do with your illness,

The person held you against your will - by taking you away, keeping you somewhere, or locking you in a room or,

You were afraid of the person and what they might have done to you or someone else.

Last Modified: Thursday April 15 2004
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