Sexual violence occurs any time a person is forced, coerced, or manipulated into any unwanted sexual activity; or any other time consent to participate in a sexual activity is not freely and willfully given.
Consent means not only that someone agrees to participate in a certain behavior, but that they have the physical and mental capacity to consent and to do so free from threats, pressure and coercion. If sexual boundaries are crossed, sexual violence is happening; it is never an accident or misunderstanding.
Sexual violence does not happen because of intimacy or desire; it is motivated by various forms of power and control. Physical features, sex organs, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, clothing choices, prior sexual encounters, using intoxicating substances, etc., are not qualifiers or disqualifiers for sexual violence.
Sexual violence can occur across the life span ranging from childhood to adolescence to adulthood and older adulthood. Sexual violence violates a person’s trust, autonomy and feeling of safety.