Definitions
A person commits sexual assault by intentionally or knowingly engaging in sexual intercourse or oral sexual contact with any person without consent of such person. Punishable by a minimum of 5 years in prison (Arizona State Statute)
A person commits sexual abuse by intentionally or knowingly engaging in sexual contact with any person without consent of that person. Punishable by a minimum of 1 year in prison. (Arizona State Statute)
Sexual contact is legally defined as intentional touching, either directly or through the clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of any person with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
Facts About Sexual Assault
- Sexual assault is an act of violence, power, and control. It is not about sex or sexual desire/need. Sexual assault is motivated primarily out of anger and/or a need to feel powerful by controlling, dominating, or humiliating the victim.
- Sexual assault is most often planned or carried out by intimate partners, acquaintances, or family members.
- Survivors are not responsible for causing their assaults; only offenders are to be blamed for sexual assault and rape.
- Sexual assault has nothing to do with who the victim is or what they look like.
(from Arizona Sexual Assault Network)
College students are at high risk for sexual assault
College students are in one of the most vulnerable age groups for sexual assault. College age women are 4 TIMES more likely to be sexually assaulted than women of any other age group. (RAINN)
Statistics
- 1 of 5 U.S. women will be the victim of completed or attempted sexual assault during their lifetime (Koss, 1996). A woman is sexually assaulted every 2 minutes (US Dept of Justice, 2000).
- 1 of 33 U.S. men has experienced an attempted or completed rape as a child and/or an adult. (National Violence Against Women Survey, 1998)
- 69% of female victims were raped or sexually assaulted by someone they know (National Crime Victimization Survey, US Dept of Justice, 2003).
- Only 54% of rapes and sexual assaults are reported (National Crime Victimization Survey, US Dept of Justice, 2003).
NAU Statistics
- 7.0 % of NAU students reported sexual touching against their will
- 3.7 % of NAU students received verbal threats for sex against their will
- 2.0% of NAU students experienced attempted sex against their will
- 0.8 % of NAU students experienced actual penetration against their will
(from 2007 National College Health Assessment-NAU)
see page 2 for strategies to reduce your risk
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