What is sexual assault and rape?

    Sexual assault is any contact or behavior without consent from the victim. Rape along with attempted rape, fondling, unwanted sexual touching, and forcing a victim to perform sexual acts are all forms of sexual assault.
    While rape is a form of sexual assault, not all sexual assault is rape. The term rape has many different legal definitions in countries and states(of the U.S.). Rape as defined by the FBI is “penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim”.
    While it is good to know a definition of rape, if you or someone else is a victim of rape the most important thing to know is that rape and other sexual assault is never the victim's fault, it is wrong whatever relationship you have with the perpetrator, and in most places and situations rape is illegal.
If you or someone you know is sexually assaulted or raped do not keep it to yourself. In most countries including areas of Argentina you can call 911 and receive assistance, then call the local police department, and receive immediate medical attention. For a medical emergency such as sexual assault or rape you can also call 107 in Argentina.
RAINN is an organization in the U.S. which offers information about sexual assault and operates the National(U.S.) Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE, online.rainn.org and rainn.org/es) for victims in the U.S. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you can use all the information on RAINN’s website. RAINN’s information on sexual assault and rape explains what these terms refer to, statistics on perpetrators and their backgrounds, and more. If you are a U.S. citizen living outside of the country you can get help from your nearest Embassy or Consulate or by calling +1 202.501.4444. To learn more about getting help if you are a U.S. citizen living outside of the country, go to RAINN’s website.
It is important to know what sexual assault and rape is and how to address these issues, because then you can protect your body and know how to report rape. This topic is important to positive sexual health because with this information you can protect your health and your rights, and ensure that you know how to get help. This post can: help people to get help after sexual assault, understand if they are being sexually assaulted, and find people to talk to.

​Author: Sophia (Gr 8)

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