Sexual Violence
Generally, people do not wake up one day and say “I am going to sexually assault someone”.
Sexual violence occurs on a spectrum, something our office refers to as The Spectrum of Sexual Violence. The spectrum of sexual violence (beginning at the left) begins with thoughts and ideologies about sexual violence and, as those thoughts and ideologies are not corrected, evolve into the forms of sexual violence further on the spectrum.
NOTE: This spectrum is not all-encompassing of the forms of sexual violence someone can experience. This spectrum was created based off of what our specific office hears survivors of sexual violence on Auraria campus speak too.
Jokes, Songs, and Sexist Language – Example: “Oh snap! That sports team got raped in the last game! I have never seen such a terrible loss!”, “Women are weak and need the protection of men.”
Cat Calls, Leering, Sexual Comments – Example: “HEY! Nice butt!!!”, “I bet you have a big d*ck under those basketball shorts.”
Uninvited Voyeurism – Also known as a “peeping tom”. An uninvited voyeur is someone who gains sexual pleasure from watching someone else engage in an intimate activities, such as bathing, undressing, or having sex without consent.
Revenge Porn – the act of sharing an intimate or sexual photo or video of someone without their consent.
Check out the Netflix docuseries The Most Hated Man on the Internet to gain insight into the impact revenge porn has on survivors.
PCA version of the spectrum of sexual violence
Non-Sexual, Touching without Consent – NOTE: everyone will have their own definition for what they consider to be non-sexual and sexual toughing. If you are wanting to touch someone 1) ask if they are comfortable with you touching them and 2) where they feel comfortable being touched. Some folks may consider non-sexual unwanted touching to be: Touching someone’s hips (women report experiencing this by men at concerts, clubs), caressing someone’s arm
Sexual Harassment – unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and/or verbal or physical harassment in a sexual nature
NOTE: Each institution on Auraria campus have different policies regarding sexual harassment. You can review your school’s policy below.
MSU Denver CU Denver CCD
Sexual Touching without Consent – NOTE: everyone will have their own definition for what they consider to be non-sexual and sexual toughing. If you are wanting to touch someone 1) ask if they are comfortable with you touching them and 2) where they feel comfortable being touched. Some folks may consider sexual touching without consent to be: Touching someone’s breasts, butt, or genitals.
Coercion – when someone pressures, intimidates, or threatens someone to do something they so not want to do. Example: begging someone for sex - “wearing someone down” until they give in; threatening to reveal a secret about someone if they do not have sex with them
Rape, Sodomy, Intrusion – someone being sexually penetrated with a tongue, penis, finger, or object
CONSENT
When someone experiences sexual violence, consent has not been properly given in the interaction were the instance of sexual violence occurred.
Consent is defined as:
1) Cooperation in act and attitude
People engaging in the activity are comfortable and enthusiastic about the activity
People's body language and verbal communication is open
2) Exercise of free will
People are not being threatened, intimidated, or coerced into an activity
It is safe to pause or end the activity at any time
3) Knowledge of what’s happening
People engaging in the activity are aware of what will be happening
People engaging in the activity are conscious and able to make decisions
NOTE: IF ALL 3 ELEMENTS OF CONSENT ARE NOT PRESENT IN YOUR INTERACTION, THE INTERACTION IS NOT CONSENSUAL!