Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may be by a man on a man, woman on a man or woman on a woman,[1] adult on a child, adult on an adult or child on a child.
While sexual assaults are associated with the crime of rape, it may cover assaults which would not be considered rape.[2] What constitutes a sexual assault is determined by the laws of the jurisdiction where the assault takes place, which vary considerably and are influenced by local social and cultural attitudes.
Every year, an estimated 300,000 women are raped and 3.7 million are confronted with unwanted sexual activity. In addition, of the approximately 900,000 children who are maltreated each year, 9% are sexually abused.[3] It has been estimated that one in six American women have or will be sexually assaulted during their lives.[4] Largely because of child and prison rape, approximately ten percent of reported rape victims are male.[5]
Sexual assault may include rape, forced vaginal, anal or oral penetration, forced sexual intercourse, inappropriate touching, forced kissing, child sexual abuse, or the torture of the victim in a sexual manner.[6]
In the United Kingdom the Sexual Offences Act 2003 defines "sexual assault" as when a person (A)
1.intentionally touches another person (B),
2.the touching is sexual,
3.B does not consent to the touching, and
4.A does not reasonably believe that B consents.
In the United States the definition of sexual assault varies widely between the individual states. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network defines "sexual assault" as
unwanted sexual contact that stops short of rape or attempted rape. This includes sexual touching and fondling.[7]