Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is any sexual behavior that is forced, coerced or manipulated. It occurs when one person in the relationship uses sex to gain power over the other person. 

Sexual abuse overlaps with the other types of abuse because it can be physical (such as forced sex), verbal (such as sexual threats) or emotional (such as using sexual behavior to humiliate someone).

Sexual abuse happens in many different ways. Some examples of sexual abuse are:

• Threatening to break up with a partner if they refuse sexual acts

• Punishment for not complying with sexual requests

• Threatening to hurt another person or someone they care about if a partner refuses sexual acts

• Forcing Sex

• Withholding Sex

• Lying to or manipulating a partner to get them to agree to sexual behavior

• Making sexual threats with objects

• Unwanted grabbing or touching of someone's rear end, breasts, or genital areas

• Sexualizing in public

• Forcing someone to take off their clothes

• Sex while a partner is too drunk or high to make a sound decision about sex

• Forcing someone to watch sex between others

• Mocking of body parts; laughing at a partner

• Dirty talk without consent from a partner

• Telling rude stories or making rude gestures to a person

• Taking pictures or videos of someone undressing or involved in sexual behavior without the person's consent

• Sex that hurts

• Sex for favors

• Making a partner dress in a sexier way or less sexy way

• Rape with an object

If one, some or all of these examples are occurring in your relationship, it is abuse. You do not deserve to be treated this way. Nothing you have ever done justifies the behavior of your partner. Your body and sexual choices are important and should be respected. You are valuable and important. Choose to Live Life Empowered and Move In.

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