Delaware County Community College

WHAT IS SEXUAL ABUSE?

Sexual abuse is not just forced intercourse. All forms of coerced sexual contact or exploitation constitute abuse. You have been sexually abused or harassed if a person has done any of the following to you:

  • Told anti-women jokes or said bad things of a sexual nature about women.
  • Treated women as sex objects.
  • Acted like he or she owns you.
  • Accused you of being sexual with others.
  • Insisted that you dress more sexually than you wanted or criticized how you dress
  • Said bad things about your body.
  • Put down your feelings about sex.
  • Criticized your sexual past; blamed you if you had been sexually abused in the past or as a child.
  • Criticized you sexually (for example called you frigid or cold).
  • Insisted on touching you sexually when you did not want to be touched - either when you two were alone or with other people.
  • Forced you to mimic or watch pornography
  • Called you a whore or a slut.
  • Withheld or made you beg for sexual affection.
  • Made you strip when you did not want to - when you two were alone or when others were around.
  • Openly showed sexual interest in other people when you were in public or at home (for example while watching TV).
  • Had affairs (often bragging about it) after agreeing not to have sex with anyone else.
  • Forced you to have sex.
  • Made you have sex with other people.
  • Forced you into prostitution.
  • Forced you to make pornographic films.
  • Made you watch other people having sex.
  • Made you perform sexual acts you did not want to.
  • Forced you to have sex after physically or emotionally abusing you.
  • Forced sex when you were sick or when it was unsafe for health reasons.
  • Hurt you with objects or weapons while having sex.
  • Committed cruel sexual acts.
  • Made you pose for sexual photographs.
  • Made you have sex with animals.
  • Sexually abused you as a child.
  • Raped you.