Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is a sexual activity that happens without all party’s established consent, or consent is withdrawn. It is important to remember that sexual assault is not necessarily about sex, it is a criminal offence in which sex was used to overpower and control the survivor.
Sexual assault is always the responsibility of the offender, the survivor is never at fault and made the best decision they could at the time, regardless of whether they fought or cooperated.
In recent years, there has been a growing awareness and willingness to discuss and address sexual violence alongside such initiatives such as the #MeToo movement. However, national and international statistics consistently demonstrate that sexual crimes are significantly under-reported, under-convicted and under-prosecuted.
Rates of reporting are still impacted by a range of factors such as:
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Uncertainty over what constitutes as sexual assault
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Mistrust of police
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Lack of anonymity in rural areas
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Limited relationship and sexual education
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Fear of social backlash within community
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Idealisation of men within community
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Isolated social infrastructure
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Access to appropriate support services
Breaking Down Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is both a consequence and a cause of power disparity existing between genders and societal structures. Rural Australia has a long history of societal structures that establish who is more or less worthy, we need instead to break down these rigid beliefs and strive for equality and dismantle a culture that repeatedly perpetuates sexual violence and oppression.
Despite that most people think, it is more likely that the perpetrator of sexual assault is someone known to the survivor, and it is still considered assault even if they are a partner or spouse. Any assault, sexual or otherwise, that occurs within a domestic relationship (married, de-facto, boyfriend/girlfriend, or housemate) is considered to be a form of domestic violence.
Both men and women can be victims or perpetrators of sexual assault. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that significantly less males will report being assaulted for fear of the social backlash and shame they may face. Unwanted sexual arousal and physiological responses such as erections, a woman “getting wet”, or orgasms, can occur during an assault – this is purely physical response to stimulation and does not in any way indicate that the person consented to the sexual activity.
Sexual assault is about taking the power away from their victim. Survivors are often left feeling powerless and very alone. The impacts of trauma are significant, and while survivors will often try to forget the assault ever happened, it is important to seek support and begin a journey to recovery. The experience and impacts of sexual violence are different for everyone. Emotions are not behaviours, even those negative emotions are perfectly normal and should be explored.
Links to support services, information on impacts of trauma and the path to healing can be found here.
