Sexual violence is an umbrella term for any kind of non-consensual sexual contact, behavior, or aggression. While often used interchangeably with the term sexual assault, sexual violence is a term that covers all sexually aggressive acts, including but expanding upon acts of sexual assault. Sexual Violence is First and Foremost Violence A more accurate term…
What is intersectionality? 1-4 Intersectionality is a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, a prominent Black feminist scholar and civil rights activist. She defines intersectionality as, as “a metaphor for understanding the ways that multiple forms of inequality or disadvantage sometimes compound themselves and create obstacles that often are not understood among conventional ways of thinking.”…
The first months of college before students return home for Thanksgiving break are meant to be an inspiring, formative experience for young people around the country. However, amongst all of the excitement, are also more sexual assaults happening around campus. This period, known as “The Red Zone,” is when 50% of all college sexual assaults…
PAVE/Survivors.org defines stalking as a type of harassment directed at an individual involving persistent, repeated contact and attention. However, the legal definition of stalking can vary state to state, and oftentimes these definitions do not serve to protect survivors. Stalking behaviors that are not in line with the legal definition of stalking where a survivor…
Sexual assault is any kind of non-consensual physical sexual act. It is an umbrella term that itself falls underneath the umbrella of sexual violence. Sexual assault covers a wide range of sexually violent acts that involve physical contact. All sexual assaults are acts of sexual violence, but not all acts of sexual violence are sexual…
Consent is essential in all of our interactions, not just sexual activity. When it comes to sexual acts, the presence of consent is what differentiates sex from sexual assault. Before we become sexually active, we need to understand what consent is and what it looks like. Sexual acts without consent are not sex, they are…
What Do I Call Someone Who Has Experienced Sexual, Domestic, or Intimate Partner Violence? When referring to people who have experienced sexual assault, intimate partner violence, or domestic violence, it can be difficult to know what term to use. Different words have different connotations and implications, and all people have a different relationship with what…
Sexual coercion is the act of using pressure, threats, alcohol or drugs, or force to engage in sexual activity with someone. This type of abuse can take form in many different ways. Contrary to popular belief, coercion is mostly verbal and emotional, not physical. The tactics the abuser uses can make someone feel pressure, guilt…
Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is a form of sexual abuse where the perpetrator creates and/or shares sexually explicit images, videos, or audio of a person without their consent. It includes both self-generated images, images that were taken by the person depicted in the photo and originally distributed by them with the understanding or expectation that…
Adultification originated as a term to describe when children are treated as older than they are, or when they are forced to grow up before their time. Now, it often specifically refers to the racist act of treating and perceiving minority children as older than they are, or expecting a level of maturity from them…
Self-care is the act of taking steps to improve, preserve, and maintain one’s well being. Humans require connection, security, nourishment, stimulation, and rest. Self-care allows people to fulfill those needs by creating routines that build a compassionate and caring relationship with oneself. This can look different for everyone. Many different activities and choices are acts…
Survivors.org defines trauma as both: Trauma is both a specific experience and our emotional experiences that arise after that event. Survivors often report that when they discuss their trauma, others may try to tell them that their experience wasn’t “bad enough” to be considered traumatic. In reality, trauma is personal. Something that may overwhelm one…
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