Carnegie Mellon

Sexual Assault & Dating Violence

Rape or sexual assault can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.

What is rape?
Rape is any kind of sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, or anal) that is committed against a person’s will or is committed with physical force or with a threat to hurt the victim or another person. It is also considered rape if the victim is intoxicated or unconscious and unable to give consent. Rape and sexual assault are not about sexual desire--they are about power and control.

What is sexual assault?
Sexual assault is the legal term for rape, but it also encompasses other behaviors beyond forced sexual intercourse. Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual contact. It can be committed by the use of threats or force or when someone takes advantage of circumstances that render a person incapable of giving consent such as intoxication. Sexual assault can include unwanted touching, fondling, or groping of sexual body parts.

What is consent?
Consent is an agreement that two people must make if they want to have sex. The issue of consent can be a complicated and ambiguous area that needs to be addressed with clear, open and honest communication. Keep these points in mind if you are not sure consent has been established:

• Both partners need to be fully conscious and aware.
  The use of alcohol or other substances can interfere with someone’s ability to make clear decisions about the level of intimacy they are comfortable with. The more intoxicated a person is, the less they are able to give conscious consent.
• Both partners are equally free to act.
  The decision to be sexually intimate must be without coercion. Both partners must have the option to choose to be intimate or not. Both partners should be free to change “yes” to “no” at any time. Factors such as body size, previous victimization, threats to “out” someone, and other fears can prevent an individual from freely consenting.
• Both partners clearly communicate their willingness and permission.
  Willingness and permission must be communicated clearly and unambiguously. Just because a person fails to resist sexual advances does not mean that she or he is willing. Consent is not the absence of the word “no.”
• Both partners are positive and sincere in their desires.
  It is important to be honest in communicating feelings about consent. If one person states his or her desires, the other person can make informed decisions about the encounter.

Who can be a perpetrator of sexual assault?
Men or women may be the perpetrators of sexual assault; however, men are more likely to commit sexual assault. The perpetrator may be a stranger, an acquaintance, a lover, a partner, or a date. Most of the time, the perpetrator of the assault is someone the victim knows such as a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, other relative or acquaintance.

Who can be a victim of sexual assault?
Anyone can be a victim of sexual assault regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. Although it is more common for women to be victims, approximately 1 out of 10 men have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime.