Sexual abuse is when someone makes you do or watch anything of a sexual nature that you don't want to. It can often be part of domestic abuse and take place within relationships or between family members. If you do something because you are afraid, or you have been pressured into it, you have not freely consented.
Warning If there is immediate danger to you or someone else, call the police immediately on 999.
Identify sexual abuse
Below are examples of different types of sexual abuse or assault. Does your partner, former partner, or a family member do any of the following?
Rape
- Force you to have sex against your will
- Trick you into having unsafe sex (without using a condom or other barrier method of contraception)
- Force you, or trying to force you, to do any sexual act you did not consent to. It can include forced kissing, inappropriate touching, or penetration
- Force you to have sex with other people or to become a sex worker
- Use threats, blackmail, bribery, guilt, intimidation, or manipulation to make you perform sexual acts
- Force you to have sex in front of children, or other people
- Have sex with you when you can't consent freely, for example, if you are:
- under the influence of drugs, alcohol or medication
- under the age of consent (16)
- under the age of 18, and the other person is in a position of responsibility (such as a teacher)
- any age, if the other person is exploiting a position of power or trust (such as a police officer, or your doctor)
- a vulnerable adult (for example, because you have a severe mental impairment, serious mental illness or dementia)
Other forms of sexual assault and abuse
- Force you to take part in non-consensual masturbation (of either or both persons)
- Make sexual comments to you that make you feel uncomfortable
- Sexual harassment and assault, including inappropriate looking, touching, and sexual insults or teasing
- Indecent exposure (or 'flashing')
- Make you watch pornography if you don't want to, or in front of children
- Share, or threaten to share, explicit images of you without your consent
- Degrade you during sex, such as calling you names, spitting, biting, punching, or hurting you
- Tell you they are taking contraception (The Pill) when they are deliberately not
- Deliberately hurt you during sex, for example, non-fatal strangulation
If your partner, or former partner, has sex with you when you don’t want to, this is rape. It is important to report it and get the necessary help and support.
Get support
| Organisation | Services | Contacts and links |
|---|---|---|
| NHS Help after rape or sexual assault |
One-stop information and advice:
|
|
| The Bridge (NHS sexual assault referral centre) |
|
|
| Riverside Clinic |
|
|
| Organisation | Services | Contacts and links |
|---|---|---|
| SARSAS | Specialist support for any adult (18+) in B&NES who has experienced any form of sexual violence, at any point in their lives |
|
| Kinergy | Local specialist counselling agency offering trauma-informed counselling or group therapy for survivors of sexual abuse and violence |
|
| SAFE BANES |
|
|
| Rape Crisis |
|
|
Related forms of abuse
Sexual assault and rape may happen in combination with other forms of abuse. Find out more by visiting our separate pages on: