Types of Sexual Assault

Types of Sexual Assault
By: Thomas “Birdy” McKee
10-20-2010



Unfortunately, sexual assault can come in many forms. In order to better understand the wide range of personal violence's that can occur, we have included definitions of different types of rape and sexual assault, as well as other kinds of violence that often arise hand-in-hand with sexual assault. Click on the title below to read more about each type of sexual assault.

Was I Raped?

How can you figure out if what happened was rape? There are a few questions to consider.

Sexual Assault

Be aware: Some states use this term interchangeably with rape. For a precise legal definition, check the laws in your state.

Rape

Rape victims may be forced through threats or physical means. In about 8 out of 10 rapes, no weapon is used other than physical force. Anyone may be a victim of rape: women, men or children, straight or gay.

Acquaintance Rape

Acquaintance assault involves coercive sexual activities that occur against a person's will by means of force, violence, duress, or fear of bodily injury. These sexual activities are imposed upon them by someone they know.

Child Sexual Abuse

Sexual assault of children often includes incest as a subset of this form of sexual assault. While there is a substantial amount of overlap in the two types of assault, for the purposes of this website we have separated them in recognition of the different needs that victims of each type of assault may have.

Child Abuse

Child abuse takes place when a child is harmed by someone else physically, psychologically, or by acts of neglect.

Dating and Domestic Violence

Dating and domestic violence occurs in all socioeconomic, educational, racial, and age groups. The issues of power and control are at the heart of family violence.

Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault

Drug facilitated sexual assault is the type of sexual assault in which drugs or alcohol are used to compromise an individual's ability to consent to sexual activity.

Hate Crimes

A hate crime is the victimization of an individual based on that individual's race, religion, national origin, ethnic identification, gender, or sexual orientation.

Incest

Incest is the type of sexual contact that occurs between persons who are so closely related that their marriage is illegal (e.g., parents and children, uncles/aunts and nieces/nephews, etc.).

Male Sexual Assault

Male victims of sexual assault are an often forgotten population--unseen, neglected, and undeserved. The following information has been put together so that this population of victims can be better understood and supported.

Partner Rape

Partner rape includes sexual acts committed without a person's consent and/or against a person's will when the perpetrator is the individual's current partner (married or not), previous partner, or cohabitator.

Sexual Exploitation by Helping Professionals

Sexual exploitation by helping professionals involves sexual contact of any kind between a helping professional — doctor, therapist, teacher, priest, professor, police officer, lawyer, etc. — and a client/patient.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that affects an individual's work or school performance.

Stalking

The impact of stalking can be profound and life altering. Individuals who are stalked often change many of their behavior patterns and have strong emotional responses to the stalking.

Stranger Rape

Three major categories include Blitz Sexual Assault, Contact Sexual Assault, and Home Invasion Sexual Assault.