Department of Health (SARC)
BY DEFINITION
Sexual Assault…can be a violent, unexpected, traumatic and sometimes life threatening event or series of events. Sexual assault is ANY unwanted sexual act or behavior which is threatening, violent, forced or coercive and to which a person has not given consent or was not able to give consent.
Examples include:
- Putting a penis, object or other parts of the body into someone’s mouth, anus or vagina
- Being forced to give or receive oral sex – putting a penis into someone’s mouth
- Being forced to masturbate or forced to watch someone masturbate
- Unwanted sexual touching – on private parts of the body
- Sexual harassment – making inappropriate sexual comments
- Voyeurism – someone exposing themselves to you
- Making someone watch a sexual act or pornography
The term ‘sexual violence’ is often used to describe sexual assault and sexual abuse.
Sexual Abuse…is when someone in a position of power or authority takes advantage of a person’s trust and respect to involve them in sexual activity. It can involve any of the examples above.
Sexual abuse can occur between: 
- A child and an adult
- A child and an older child
- A patient and a doctor
- A student and a teacher
- A parishioner and a priest