5 things everyone should know about sexual assault

性侵犯 is all too common in our society and can have lasting impacts on individuals and communities.  

Here are five things everyone should know about sexual assault.  

1. 性侵犯 can happen to anyone 

The reality is that most sexual assaults are carried out by people who know the person they assault, 包括朋友, 熟人, 同学们, 同事, 合作伙伴, 费用, 邻居, dates or someone they met online or at a party. This often contradicts 什么 people believe about who commits sexual assault and can make it more difficult to recognize when an assault happens. People who commit sexual assault take advantage of situational vulnerabilities to exert their will and operate from a sense of entitlement to someone else’s body. 

性侵犯 can happen to anyone, though because of oppression and discrimination,  女性, people with disabilities and those who identify as bisexual or transgender are disproportionately impacted.

2. 同意是关键 

Consent is an ongoing agreement that people arrive at together. Consent can include words or actions that create mutual understanding, clear willingness and acceptance of any sexual activity.    

Consent must be established before people engage in a sexual activity. This gives each person the opportunity to set personal boundaries and to understand the boundaries of others.    

Here are a few essential things to know about consent: 

• Regardless of relationship status or sexual history, consent is required for every sexual encounter.   
• Body language, words and other non-verbal cues are all acceptable ways to demonstrate non-consent. Tuning into these signals is key to avoid overstepping boundaries, even when a person doesn’t feel comfortable addressing them directly or explicitly.  
• 同意是相互的. 例如, if someone consents to sex with a condom but their partner doesn’t use one, 这不是同意. This behavior is often referred to as “stealthing.”  
• People can—and often do—change their minds about 什么 they want to or are willing to do sexually. If you or a partner signal that they want an activity to stop, that choice must be respected.  
• Agreeing to one sexual activity doesn’t mean the person agrees to do another activity, the same activity at a different time or the same activity with a different person. 例如, making out with someone doesn’t mean they 同意 other sexual activities.  
• 任何人都可以 incapacitated by alcohol, drugs or anything else cannot give consent, regardless of 什么 they are saying or doing. Incapacitation is a state 在哪里 someone cannot make a reasonable, rational decision because they lack the capacity to understand the “who, 什么, 在哪里, when or why” of a sexual interaction. 

Learn more about affirmative consent

3. 性侵犯 can include a wide range of experiences

性侵犯 includes any unwanted sexual contact or behaviors that a person did not, 或者不能, 同意.   

This can include, but is not limited to, the following:    

• Unwanted penetration, including vaginal, anal or oral sex. This also includes penetration by an object or another person’s body part(s).  
• Unwanted touching of someone’s butt, breasts or genitals.  

Keep in mind that attempted touching, contact and penetration are also considered sexual assault. Additional forms of sexual harm include sexual harassment, exploitation (e.g., sharing nudes, videotaping sexual acts without consent, etc.) as well as abuse by an intimate partner.   

Both sexual assault and sexual misconduct refer to legal thresholds under campus policy and criminal law. Harmful sexual experiences can still happen outside of these parameters.    

If you or someone you know isn’t sure whether an experience may have been sexual assault, confidential advocate counselors on campus are available for free and confidential 咨询s, trauma-focused counseling and 支持. Advocate counselors with the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA) are here to help students, staff and faculty understand and process their experiences as well as learn about their rights and options. Remember, you don’t have to know 什么 to make of an experience to get 支持. Give them a call at 303-492-8855 or schedule an appointment. 

4. 性侵犯 是可以预防的

Buffs should look out for each other, speak up about concerning behaviors and situations and take steps to create better interactions and a safer community.     

Here are some ways to help improve and practice bystander skills:    

 Learn to identify high-risk situations 
Keep an eye on people who hit on the drunkest person at a party, encourage others to over-drink, try to get a drunk person alone or away from their friends, are persistent about pursuing someone sexually or commit low-level boundary violations. It’s not that people don’t understand consent, it’s that some people aren’t interested in honoring it.    

 Intervene in concerning situations 
If you see someone in a potentially harmful or high-risk situation, you can do something to intervene. Bystanders are particularly important in situations 在哪里 someone is being pursued by someone else because of their level of intoxication, or if a person has been intentionally drugged in an attempt to facilitate sexual assault.     

 保持朋友联系 
在聚会上, high-proof alcohol mixed with sweet punch or juice might be served to increase the likelihood that people will become intoxicated. It’s common for those who perpetrate sexual assault to encourage alcohol consumption or 目标人群 似乎丧失劳动能力. It’s important to check in with a friend if you observe any sudden changes (e.g., difficulty standing, disorientation, etc.) that might indicate they’ve had too much to drink.    

 Don’t leave someone behind 
Commit to not ditching someone if they have too much to drink and/or become unwilling to stick with the plan to stay together. Sticking together decreases the likelihood that someone will have to rely on lesser-known friends or strangers to get home. It’s also important to consider whether someone who is offering to walk a person home or look after an intoxicated person is trustworthy or is potentially looking for access to someone who is vulnerable.  

 相信你的直觉 
If a situation feels weird or wrong, it probably is. If you think someone’s behavior feels uncomfortable or unsafe, follow your gut. It’s okay to make up an excuse to interject or interrupt a situation that feels ‘off.’ You can act like you don’t feel well and need them to leave with you, you need them to check on a friend or you want them to go with you to get something to eat. 

5. 提供支持 

Resources are available for those who have experienced sexual assault, who want to 支持 friends and survivors, or who want to learn more about sexual assault prevention. Students often reach out to friends or family members first when something bad happens. Having the skills to respond effectively without blame or judgment is vital. Learn more skills for 支持ing your friends through the aftermath of a traumatic event.  

Here are some of the resources available to 支持 survivors and friends at CU Boulder:   

Office of Victim Assistance (OVA)

OVA provides free and confidential information, 咨询, 支持, advocacy and short-term, trauma-focused counseling services for students, 研究生, faculty and staff who have experienced a traumatic, disturbing or life-disruptive event, including sexual assault and harassment. 

  机密资源

Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC)

OIEC implements and enforces university policies around sexual assault, intimate partner abuse and 跟踪, and other forms of sexual misconduct. If you or someone you know at CU has been impacted, reports can be filed online. Anonymous reporting is an option as well. 

不要忽视它

Explore your options for seeking confidential 支持, reporting concerns and learning skills for helping others. If something seems off, it probably is—don't ignore it.