1) Understand what violence against women and sexual assault is
What is violence against women?
When we think of violence against women, many of us think of physical violence.
However, violence against women can be any abusive behaviour that causes harm and suffering.
Violence can take a range of forms, including:
- Verbal
- Emotional
- Social
- Racial
- Spiritual
- Financial
- Psychological
- Physical
- Sexual
Both men and women are capable of inflicting violence upon women. Women can also inflict violence upon men.
However, research indicates that the majority of violence against both men and women is by men.
Activity:
Match the following actions against the form of abuse in the list above:
Encouraging people to hate or ridicule a person on the basis of their race
MMS-ing a private and sexual photo of a person to other people
Withholding access to money held in a joint bank account
Calling someone a "slut", "ho" or "nag"
Spreading a hurtful rumour about a person
Threatening to bash someone
Mocking someone for their religious beliefs
Threatening to injure a person’s household pet
Constantly criticising, insulting and putting a person down
What is sexual assault?
Sexual assault is any sexual activity against a person’s will or to which a person does not consent.
In Australia, legal definitions of sexual assault vary between States.
However, from a prevention viewpoint, it is most useful to see sexual violence as occurring on a continuum ranging from unethical sexual behaviours through to sexual assault, including:
- Unwanted touching, fondling or kissing
- Sexual and verbal harassment, innuendo
- Being made look at, or pose for, pornographic shots
- Being exposed to flashing or masturbation
- Being watched while having sex without consent
- Being forced to give or receive oral sex
- Forced or unwanted sexual penetration
- Date rape
- Drink spiking for the purposes of non-consensual sex
- Child sexual abuse
Both men and women have the capacity to engage in sexual behaviour that may constitute sexual assault.
However, statistics indicate that the majority of sexual assaults are committed by men, while the majority of sexual assault victims/survivors are women.
Activity:
Nominate which of the following can be sexual assault:
Using threats to force a person into sex
Using deception to trick a person into having sex
Continuing a sexual activity after a person has said they want it to stop
Having sex with a person who is asleep or unconscious
Any sexual behaviour that makes a person feel uncomfortable, frightened, intimidated, humiliated or threatened.
Click here for the answer
Sources:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Crime and Safety 2005
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Crime and Safety 2002
- South Australian Department of Human Services, Interpersonal Violence and Abuse Survey 1999
- Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) House
- Violence As A Gendered Issue
- Violence Against Women Journal: Editorial Principles
- Information about sexual assault
- Definition of sexual assault
- Lawlink: Violence Against Women Specialist Unit
- What is violence against women?
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