Definition
Sexual Assault – According to the Rape Assault Incest National Network, the term sexual assault refers to sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim. Some forms of sexual assault include:
- Attempted rape
- Fondling or unwanted sexual touching
- Forcing a victim to perform sexual acts, such as oral sex or penetrating the perpetrator’s body
- Penetration of the victim’s body, also known as rape
Key concepts: sexual assault, rape, sexual violence, Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Sexual Assault
Articles and Books
The sexual healing journey: A guide for survivors of sexual abuse
Maltz, W. (2012). The sexual healing journey: A guide for survivors of sexual abuse. New York, NY: William Morrow.
Wendy Maltz sensitively takes readers step-by-step through the recovery process integrating expert advice with groundbreaking exercises, proven techniques, and first-person accounts of women and men at every stage of sexual healing.
Screaming through the silence: Memories, truths and a hope towards understanding
Ricciardi, M. A. (2011). Screaming through the silence: Memories, truths and a hope towards understanding. Bloomington, IN: Authorhouse.
“The author shares what she knows to be true about the emotional ruin that trails behind silence and myths surrounding intimate violence.” The book includes the stories of assault and abuse that survivors experienced in hopes that these words will encourage better understanding and awareness for others.
First response to victims of crime: A guidebook for law enforcement officers
Woods, T. O. (2015). First response to victims of crime: A guidebook for law enforcement officers. US Department of Justice: Scholars Choice.
A resource to help law enforcement officers better respond to crimes to ensure better outcomes for victims.
Manuals and Guides
Resurrection after rape
Resurrection after rape: A guide to transforming from victim to survivor
Written as a collaboration between a therapist and survivors of rape this is book is a guide for women who are making the journey through therapy. The journals, art, and stories of women who have triumphed over this trauma can help victims take the steps toward recovery. The book is very useful for therapists and survivors alike.
Recovering from rape
Recovering from rape
“Practical advice on overcoming the trauma and coping with police, hospitals, and the courts—for survivors of sexual assault and their families, lovers, and friends.”
The WHO report on Violence and Health
The WHO report on Violence and Health – Chapter 6 Sexual Violence
Taking a worldwide perspective this chapter from the larger report offers an in-depth account on sexual violence.
The Sexual Assault Advocacy Manual
Night falls fast: understanding suicide
A 70 page document that provides good information about advocacy, the impact of sexual violence, health concerns of survivors, the criminal justice system and more. Similar to CACASA above this is Wisconsin’s coalition to creating the social change to end sexual violence.
Current Top Websites
The CDC’s webpage for sexual violence. It offers information and various resources on the topic of sexual violence.
The nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. It hosts the National Sexual Assault Hotline. RAINN has consulting services and some of its goals are to help survivors, educate the public, and improve public policy.
The mission of NSVRC “is to provide leadership in preventing and responding to sexual violence through collaborating, sharing and creating resources, and promoting research.”
“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) was established in 1991 to improve the health of U.S. women by advancing and coordinating a comprehensive women’s health agenda.” Their mission is to “provide national leadership and coordination to improve the health of women and girls through policy, education, and model programs.”
— California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
CALCASA is “the only professional organization dedicated to advocating on behalf of and supporting the work of rape crisis centers, which operate independently throughout California. CALCASA is committed to ending sexual violence through a multifaceted approach of prevention, intervention, education, research, advocacy and public policy.”
“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) was established in 1991 to improve the health of U.S. women by advancing and coordinating a comprehensive women’s health agenda.” Their mission is to “provide national leadership and coordination to improve the health of women and girls through policy, education, and model programs.”
A movement that created a 4-part pledge that people take to stand up to sexual assault. Recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault, to identify situations in which sexual assault may occur, intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given and to create an environment which sexual assault is unacceptable, and survivors are supported.
“Know Your IX is a survivor- and youth-led project of Advocates for Youth that aims to empower students to end sexual and dating violence in their schools”
Webinars and Online Trainings
Victim Assistance Training Online
“VAT Online is a foundational Web-based victim assistance training program that offers victim service providers and allied professionals the opportunity to acquire the essential skills and knowledge they need to more effectively assist victims of crime.” The complete course is 40 hours but is divided into sections that allows for the ability to choose specific areas of focus.
Tools Available Online
The National Sexual Assault Hotline Outreach Guide This is a toolkit for organizations to use to connect people with help using RAINN's services.
Stop SV: A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence
A national online project dedicated to the primary prevention of Sexual assault and domestic violence. It provides information through e-learning tools, podcasts, and other sources.
Presentations
Infographics
YWCA Infographic on Sexual Assault Awareness Month
National Sexual Violence Resource Center Infographic
Self-Care After Trauma
National Sexual Violence resource center: Resources for Advocates and Educators
News Articles
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center blog on the history of SAAM
A list of articles about sexual harassment from the New York Times
Over 100 articles relating to sexual assault from the Conversation website. The Conversation is an independent, not for profit media outlet that uses content sourced from the academic and research community.
A New York Times article outlining 5 reasons people may not believe victims of sexual misconduct including the victim didn’t come forward right away or the victim didn’t fight back.
Online Videos
The Hunting Ground
A documentary on the common practice of sexual assault on college campuses and the failure of administrators to deal with it effectively
Til it Happens to You
A Song by Lady Gaga about Sexual Assault
TED Videos
These insightful talks boldly tackle the hard and very necessary conversations surrounding sexual assault.
Bears 1 in 5
An eye-opening take on the statistic that 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted in college
Nevada Specific Resources
Tools
List of Programs offering Sexual or Domestic Violence Support in Nevada
The Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence list of programs in the state.
Articles
Quick Take: Sexual Assault Awareness
The Director of UNLV’s Women Center answers common questions about sexual assault and shares the resources available to the UNLV campus.
Rape Crisis Center Raises Funds as Number of Reported Rapes Increases
An article and podcast from KNPR in Las Vegas about the increase in Rape Reporting and other issues related to sex assault do in a large part to the #MeToo Movement. The article talks about some of the things the Police and other organizations are doing to help.
Organizations