The Little Black Book for Girlz: A Book on Healthy Sexuality

Questions We Had about Sexual Assault

Answers provided by Bridget Sinclair, Youth Services Worker, St. Stephen's Community House

Q: What is sexual assault?

A: Sexual assault is an act of violence, control, and domination, when an individual uses the act or idea of sex as a weapon. Sexual assault includes any kind of sexual activity committed against a woman when she does not want it. It also includes any kind of sexual activity (including giving a hand job or blow job) that a woman is forced to perform when she does not want to. It doesn't matter whether the assaulter uses physical force or threats, it is still sexual assault. The word rape is often used to define unwanted sexual inter- course, but the term sexual assault refers to any type of unwanted sexual activity.

Q: What is date rape?

A: Date rape, also called acquaintance rape, is sexual assault committed against you by someone you know and trust. This person ends up betraying your trust. Dealing with date rape can be especially difficult because some people assume that if a woman has consented to a date she has also consented to sex during the date, and this is definitely not true.

Q: What is statutory rape?

A: Statutory rape is when an adult has sexual intercourse with a minor.

In Canada, by law, no one under the age of 12 can legally consent to any kind of sexual activity. If you are between the ages of 12 and 14, you can only legally consent to sex if your partner is less than 2 years older than you. It is illegal for anyone over the age of 18 to have sex with anyone under the age of 18 if there is more than a 2 year differ- ence in their ages. It is also illegal for someone in a position of authority (like a teacher or a coach) to have sex with someone younger than 18. Be careful if any of this applies to your relationship; the law doesn't consider the way you feel about someone regardless of age, and just because you believe "age ain't nothing but a number" doesn't mean the courts will agree. Canada's legal system now uses the term sexual interference instead of statutory rape.

In the United States, the age of consent differs from state to state, but nowhere is it lower than age 16. According to federal law, it is illegal for a person to have sexual intercourse with anyone under the age of 16 if there is more than a 4 year difference in their ages.

Q: What factors affect a woman's risk of being sexually assaulted? A: Women of any age can be assaulted, but there are some adverse social conditions that can put a woman at a higher risk of experiencing sexual assault. A lack of housing, being a runaway, and/or being financially desperate are all factors that can make a woman more vulnerable to sexual assault.

These factors appeal to perpetrators of sexual assault who often look for people they can easily take advantage of, people they feel more powerful than, and people who won't report the assault to police or other authorities. For the same reasons, perpetrators of sexual assault tend to prey on people with low self-esteem. A person with low self- esteem may find it difficult to stand up for themselves and to say what they want (or don't want), and they may even feel like they don't deserve to be treated well. Nobody deserves to be sexually assaulted.

Q: Is it important for women to report sexual assault?

A: It is important to report sexual assault to the police so that the attacker doesn't get away with it and assault other people. Unfortunately, many women have mixed feelings about going to the police. Some women fear that the process of charging someone will make an already horrible experience even more difficult to deal with.

Other women are afraid the police officers they talk to will be very insensitive.

Fortunately, many police departments have officers who are specially trained to help women who have been sexually assaulted. They will gather evidence and help the woman get medical treatment and counseling. The police, not the woman, will lay the charge against the assailant; the woman will be a witness. Whether or not a woman decides to report a sexual assault, it is important she makes the decision herself.