What is Sexual Assault?

Sexual assault is a form of abuse that involves one or more people forcing, coercing, and/or manipulating another person in order to gain sexual contact. Sexual assault can include rape (a forced sexual act that includes oral, anal or vaginal penetration.); unwanted touching, fondling, or kissing; forcing someone to look at or pose for pornographic material; or forced oral sex.

Sexual assault is a violent crime that involves power, aggression and control. Rape and sexual assault are never the victim/survivor’s fault. Sexual assault can happen anywhere, anytime of day, to anyone regardless of age, class, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexuality or gender.

About 3% of American men, or 1 in 33, have experienced a rape or attempted rape (RAINN). An estimated 92, 748 men are raped each year in the United States (PCAR). Most sexual assaults to men are perpetrated by other males; however male rape has nothing to do with the sexuality of the offender or the victim. Just like rape of women, sexual assault is motivated by the perpetrator’s need to control, humiliate and harm.
Under-reporting of rape in general is always high, however when a male is victimized, under-reporting is often higher. Social stigmas, taboos and myths have often lead males to feel left out or afraid to report the crime. This ignorance adds to the shame and isolation that many male victims feel.