STUDENTS AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT
GET INFORMED
It is important for people to learn and educate themselves about consent, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and other types of sexual violence, as well as how they impact victims/survivors. Here are key definitions and easy guides to understanding some of them.
Definitions
Sexual Assault
According to the Sexual Offences Act 2003, sexual assault is defined as 'when a person is coerced or physically forced to engage in a sexual activity against their will, or when a person touches another person sexually without their consent.
Sexual Harassment
The Equality Act 2010 defines sexual harassment as unwanted sexual behaviour that has the purpose or effect of either violating the other person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them, such as cat calling.
Rape
According to the Sexual Offences Act 2003, rape is defined as 'penetration of the vagina, anus or mouth of another person by the penis without consent.' However, this definition fails to acknowledge female perpetrators and should be adapted to include all non-consensual sex.
Consent
Consent cannot be given by anyone that is underage, heavily under the influence of drugs/alcohol, asleep or unconscious.
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Consent is not guaranteed because you are in a relationship, on a date or have previously consented to an activity.
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FRIES is an easy guide to understand and respect consent:
F reely given
R eversible
I nformed
E nthusiastic
S pecific
Fun or sexy ways to ask for consent intimately could be:
"Is it okay if I touch you here?"
"Want to try...?"
"How does that feel?"
"Do you like it when?"
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