Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse is any sexual act where a person is forced to do something they don’t want to. They may be forced with threats of physical violence or just enough fear to make them comply with their abuser’s wishes.

Sexual abuse can include calling you sexually derogatory names, withholding sex or affection, forcing you to commit sexual acts or have sex against your will, forcing you to view pornography or sharing sexual stories or images about you without your consent.

Sexual abuse can happen within marriage. Marital rape can often go unreported and unrecognised within a marriage even by the person experiencing the abuse. There is a cultural assumption by some women that they have a ‘duty’ to satisfy their husband’s sexual demands with no reference to their own feelings. However, rape is a crime, even if you know the person.

Sexual abuse within marriage can also lead the person experiencing abuse to take responsibility for the abuse, or the attacker may act as if the abuse took place with the consent of the person being attacked, leading to confusion and guilt.

Rape Crisis Scotland provides a national rape crisis helpline for anyone affected by sexual violence, no matter when or how it happened. The helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.