Sexual Violence

Sexual violence includes sexual activity, contact, or behavior that happens without freely given consent.

What Can Sexual Violence Look Like?

Sexual violence can happen in person or through technology. It can include unwanted sexual contact, pressure or coercion, exploitation, threats, or sexual activity that happens without freely given consent.

Unwanted Sexual Contact

Touching, kissing, or other sexual contact that someone does not want or has not agreed to.

Sexual Pressure or Coercion

Using pressure, guilt, manipulation, threats, intimidation, or repeated requests to push someone into sexual activity.

Sexual Assault

Sexual contact or activity that happens without consent, including when someone is unable to give consent.

Sexual Harassment

Unwanted sexual comments, messages, advances, requests, gestures, or other sexual behavior that creates an uncomfortable or unsafe environment.

Technology Based Sexual Abuse

Sharing intimate images without permission, sending unwanted sexual content, threatening to expose private sexual information, or using technology to sexually harass or exploit someone.

Sextortion

Threatening to share intimate images, videos, or sexual information in order to pressure someone for money, more images, sexual activity, or something else of value.

Sex Trafficking

When someone is recruited, pressured, controlled, or exploited for commercial sexual activity. Trafficking can involve force, fraud, coercion, manipulation, threats, or exploitation of vulnerability.

When Someone Cannot Consent

Sexual activity with someone who is asleep, unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to freely agree.

Consent Matters

Consent is about communication, choice, and respect. It should be clear, freely given, and ongoing every time.

Consent Is an Ongoing Conversation

Saying yes to one thing does not mean saying yes to everything. Consent can be changed or withdrawn at any time, even if something has already started.

Freely Given

Consent should be a choice. Pressure, threats, guilt, manipulation, fear, or intimidation are not consent.

Specific

Agreeing to one activity does not automatically mean agreeing to another. Consent is specific to what is happening.

Ongoing

Consent should continue throughout the interaction. Someone can change their mind at any time.

Communicated

Pay attention to words and behavior. If you are unsure, stop and check in.

These Are Not Consent

Silence

Being pressured

Not resisting

A previous yes

Being asleep or unconscious

Being unable to make a clear choice

Not Sure? Check In.

Consent does not have to be awkward. Simple questions can make sure everyone feels comfortable and respected.

“Is this okay?”
“Do you want to keep going?”
“Are you comfortable with this?”
“Do you want to stop?”

Sometimes a person may not be able to clearly speak, move, resist, or respond during a frightening or traumatic experience. The brain and body can react automatically.

Fight Resist, push back, argue, or try to defend yourself.

Flight Try to leave, escape, avoid, or get away from what is happening.

Freeze Become still, shut down, feel stuck, or be unable to react or speak.

Fawn Agree, comply, or try to keep the other person calm in order to feel safer.

Freezing, complying out of fear, or being unable to fight back does not mean someone consented.

How to Support a Friend

If someone tells you they experienced sexual violence, you do not need to have all the answers. Listening, believing them, and respecting their choices can make a real difference.

Believe Them

Listen without blaming, questioning, or asking why they did or did not respond a certain way.

Let Them Lead

Ask what they need and avoid making decisions for them. Give them space to decide what feels right.

Offer Support

You can offer to sit with them, help find an advocate, go with them to an appointment, or help them explore resources.

Respect Their Choices

Support their decisions about medical care, reporting, advocacy, counseling, and what they want to do next.

Not Sure What to Say?

“I believe you.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
“What would feel helpful right now?”
“You get to decide what happens next.”

Sexual Violence Resources

Confidential support is available locally and nationally. You can reach out whether the experience happened recently or a long time ago.

Local Sexual Violence Support

Sexual Assault Assistance Program

Martin • St. Lucie • Indian River • Okeechobee Counties

SAAP provides free and confidential support for people impacted by sexual violence, including crisis intervention, victim advocacy, safety planning, forensic exam accompaniment, reporting support, referrals, and ongoing assistance.

24/7 Confidential Helpline
1 866 828 7273

Call SAAP Get Help →

National Support

RAINN

The National Sexual Assault Hotline provides free and confidential 24/7 support, information, referrals, and help connecting with sexual assault services.

Call
800 656 HOPE (4673)

Text
HOPE to 64673

Call RAINN Chat or Get Help →

Sextortion & Human Trafficking Help

If someone is threatening, blackmailing, exploiting, or controlling you, specialized help is available. You can also contact SAAP locally for support and help connecting with the right resources.

Sextortion Help

FBI

If someone is threatening to share intimate images or sexual information to demand money, more images, sexual activity, or something else, the FBI accepts reports of sextortion.

Call
1 800 CALL FBI

Call FBI Sextortion Help →

Under 18

NCMEC CyberTipline

The CyberTipline receives reports involving suspected online sexual exploitation of children, including sextortion, online enticement, and child sex trafficking.

24 Hour Hotline
1 800 843 5678

Call NCMEC CyberTipline →