The 13 Types Of Sexual Assault (characteristics And Effects)
Being a victim of violence, assault or sexual abuse is one of the hardest and most humiliating situations that a human being can go through, and it takes a long time for the person who suffers to overcome the traumatic event. Feeling that one’s privacy has been tortured and violated leaves serious psychological and relational consequences for the person who has been the object of this cruel and inhuman act.
There are different forms of sexual violence. In this article we review them.
Sexual violence refers to sexual activity where there is no consent by one of the people involved Although women are the most affected by this phenomenon, anyone can experience sexual violence, regardless of gender, age, race, religion, income level, ability, profession, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
The perpetrators of these evil acts may or may not be related to the victim: a friend, acquaintance, co-worker, neighbor, caregiver, or family member are some examples. However, statistics show that, in many cases, victims of sexual violence knew their attackers.
Some information about it
A study by Maston and Klaus, published in 2005, states that 73% of adult victims have some type of relationship with their attackers , 38% were people with whom they were friends, 28% were their partner and 7% were their family members. In the case of minors, the reality is even more worrying, since 90% of the victims knew their attackers, according to a study by Greenfeld carried out in 1996.
Research data by Tjaden & Thoennes (2000) show that 1 in 33 men has experienced rape or attempted rape. In the case of women, the data concludes that 1 in 6 have been raped or have suffered an attempted rape.
Types of sexual violence
There are many types of sexual violence, as this act includes activities that are not necessarily characterized by physical contact between the victim and the perpetrator. Now, sexual violence always includes some type of differential power, coercion, threat and/or physical force.
But, What types of sexual violence exist? How can we classify these horrible behaviors? Below you can find a list of the different types of sexual violence:
Depending on the severity
Depending on the severity, sexual violence can be classified in different ways.
1. Sexual harassment
This type of sexual violence occurs when the person who commits the act takes advantage of their position of superiority to ask for sexual favors. The victim is threatened and intimidated into carrying out these acts against his or her will It tends to occur more frequently in the work environment, but also in education.
2. Sexual abuse
This type of behavior is characterized by the abuser attacking the sexual freedom of the victim through deception and coercion. As a main feature of this type of sexual violence, the victims cannot give their consent, since they do not have the intellectual capacity or the will to do so. as may be the case of children or people with disabilities. Fondling, explicit verbal propositions, and penetration are part of sexual abuse.
In this case the sexual freedom of the victim is affected because the aggressor uses violence to and intimidation to eat the act. Rape is the most serious case of sexual assault. It happens when there is penetration of the member, but also when objects are introduced vaginally and anally.
Depending on the type of aggressor
Depending on the aggressor, different types of sexual violence can occur.
4. Sexual assault by an acquaintance
This type of sexual assault is characterized because the person who carries it out is an acquaintance Whether it’s a friend, or a date, or someone close to the victim. They tend to be very common, since known people have information about the victim and are more likely to know how to commit the crime without having to endure the negative consequences of criminal proceedings.
5. Sexual assault by a stranger
Some people are sexually assaulted when they are simply walking down the street, without prior contact with the aggressor. In this case, the victim does not know the aggressor It is often the case that the attacker chooses a victim almost at random as part of an impulsive reaction.
6. Sexual assault by a family member
Although many people find it hard to believe, family members also sexually assault other family members This is a type of aggression that, unlike the previous one, can last a long time. The victim feels so embarrassed that it takes a while before they speak out.
7. Aggression by a romantic partner
This type of sexual assault occurs when the perpetrator is the victim’s current partner (married or not) or is the ex-partner. Feelings of revenge are common in these types of acts, and can explain the reason for the attack.
Depending on the victim, aggression can be classified in different ways.
8. Sexual abuse of minors
Through deception or bribery, the abuser takes control of the sexual freedom of the minor victim It can occur within the family or outside of it.
9. Sexual assault on men
Although many people do not believe it, Statistics show that 1 in 33 men have been victims or suffered an attempted sexual assault Furthermore, this is a reality about which relatively little is known; More research is needed about the contexts in which these attacks occur, especially beyond prison.
10. Sexual assault on women
It is the most common form of sexual abuse It occurs both in the West and in less developed countries. There are many women who have been victims or have suffered attempted sexual assault.
Other types of sexual violence
There are other types of sexual assault. They are the following:
11. Drug-facilitated sexual assault
When the use of drugs has been used to induce sexual aggression, this type of drug is referred to. Alcohol continues to be one of the most used substances. Although today, other drugs such as GHB or Burundanga are used to nullify the will of the victims.
12. Sexual exploitation
One form of sexual violence is sexual exploitation It occurs when a person is forced, threatened and coerced into having sexual relations without their consent. The exploiter also makes an economic benefit at his expense.
13. Incest
Incest is a sexual relationship that occurs between family members who share the same blood or that they come from a common trunk by birth. For many experts, it is also a form of sexual abuse, since there may be family pressure for the victim to have sexual relations and marry another family member.
