Sexual Assault
Our agency offers free, confidential, and comprehensive services for victims or survivors of sexual assault and rape.
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What is sexual assault?
Sexual assault is any form of forced or coerced sexual activity, including, but not limited to: rape, incest, child sexual abuse, ritual abuse, stranger rape, date/acquaintance rape, partner/marital rape. In North Carolina, "sexual assault" isn't a single statute but a broad term covering various non-consensual sexual acts defined under different felony statutes like Rape & Other Sex Offenses, including forcible offenses involving weapons or serious injury, and Sexual Battery, which involves unwanted sexual contact for arousal/gratification against a person unable to consent, with consent defined as an active, affirmative agreement, not just silence. Key elements are force, lack of consent (revocable), and acts like unwanted touching, penetration (oral, anal, vaginal), or using threats/weapons.
Sexual assault includes situations in which a person may be drunk, high, unconscious, or has a disability and cannot consent to sexual activity.
Sexual assault also includes coercion beyond agreed upon terms in sex work.
Sexual assault may occur on a date, between friends, partners, strangers, or clients.
Sexual assault happens to and is committed by people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Sexual assault is NEVER the fault of the survivors.
What is rape?
Rape is a form of sexual violence, but not all sexual violence is rape. The term rape is often used as a legal definition to specifically include sexual penetration without consent. In North Carolina, rape (forcible rape) involves vaginal intercourse by force and against the will of the victim, with degrees based on aggravating factors like weapon use, serious injury, multiple perpetrators (first-degree), or victim incapacity (second-degree). Key factors include the lack of consent, which can be implied by force, threats, or the victim's inability to consent due to mental/physical state, with "against the will" now often equating to "without consent".
What is force?
Force doesn’t always refer to physical pressure. Perpetrators may use emotional coercion, psychological force, or manipulation to coerce a victim into non-consensual sex. Some perpetrators will use threats to force a victim to comply, such as threatening to hurt the victim or their family or other intimidation tactics.