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Sexual Assault
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Women

Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is any sexual activity or experience that occurs without consent, and it is never the victim's fault.

Overview

Sexual assault is any kind of sexual activity, contact, or experience that happens without your consent. That means the sexual activity happens even though you don't agree to it. Sexual assault may also be called sexual violence or sexual abuse. It affects millions of people each year, and while most victims are girls and women, many boys and men are also victims. If you've been sexually assaulted, it's never your fault; it is something that happens to you.

Sexual assault may happen with:

  • Physical force or threats of force
  • Sexual coercion (being pressured, tricked, threatened, or forced in a nonphysical way to make you think you owe sex to someone)
  • Alcohol or drugs, including date rape drugs

What Does Sexual Assault Include?

Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual activity, including:

  • Sexual activity with physical contact, which is everything from sexual touching or kissing to rape or attempted rape
  • Sexual activity without physical contact, which includes things that may happen in person, online, or through texts, such as:
    • "Flashing" or exhibitionism (when someone shows you their genitals without asking you for permission)
    • Being forced to look at sexual images or pose for sexual photos
    • Being sent unwanted texts with sexual photos or messages
    • Voyeurism (when someone watches private sexual acts without permission)
    • Getting sexual threats or being sexually harassed (unwelcome sexual comments, requests for sexual favors, or other sexual behavior that's ongoing)

Understanding Consent

Giving your consent means that you clearly and freely say "yes" to sexual activity. Your consent means that you know and understand what's going on, can say what you want to do and don't want to do, are not underage, and are not being pressured or tricked.

Giving consent is not:

  • Silence. Not saying "no" doesn't mean you're saying "yes."
  • Having consented in the past. Having said "yes" to sex with someone in the past doesn't mean that you've agreed to all sexual activity in the future.
  • Being passive and not fighting off an attacker.

You cannot give consent if you are drugged, drunk, passed out, asleep, mentally unable to consent, underage, or being sexually coerced. Pressure that negates consent may include:

  • Abusing power (e.g., a boss threatening your job)
  • Making threats to harm people you care about
  • Making false promises to reward you for sex
  • Threatening to end a relationship or spread rumors
  • Wearing you down by constantly asking for sex or making you feel guilty or obligated

Who Commits Sexual Assault?

Both men and women commit sexual assault. A person who commits sexual assault may be a stranger, but more often it's someone you know, such as a friend, acquaintance, coworker, neighbor, family member, or a current or past romantic partner.

Health Effects

Sexual assault may have many health effects that can impact lifelong well-being:

  • Physical effects: Bruises or genital injuries, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), pregnancy, and ongoing problems with female reproductive health, digestive disorders, heart health, and sexual health.
  • Psychological effects: Depression, anxiety, thoughts about suicide, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Victims are also more likely to smoke, have an alcohol use disorder (AUD), use illegal drugs, and engage in risky sexual behavior. Girls who experience sexual violence are more likely to become victims of intimate partner violence in adulthood.

Support and Resources

If you are in danger or need medical care, call 911. If you can, get away from the person who assaulted you and get to a safe place as fast as you can.

You can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) to connect with a sexual assault service provider in your area. Getting support, such as through rape crisis centers or treatments like Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), may help reduce long-term effects.

Prevention

Sexual assault is never the victim's fault. However, you can take steps to try to be safer around others:

  • Go to parties with friends and look out for each other.
  • Keep control of your drink to prevent tampering.
  • Meet people for the first time in a public place.
  • Listen to your "gut feelings" and leave if you feel uncomfortable.
  • Pay attention to your surroundings; stay in busy, well-lit areas when walking alone and avoid wearing headphones.

Frequently Asked Questions

The forensic exam includes rapid tests for common STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV) and a pregnancy test. If you test positive, you’ll be offered appropriate antibiotics, antivirals, or antiretroviral therapy. Emergency contraception (e.g., Plan B or a copper IUD) can be given up to 5 days after exposure. Follow‑up appointments are important to confirm results and discuss long‑term care.
Many communities have victim‑services agencies that provide counseling, crisis hotlines, and legal advocacy at no cost. Organizations such as RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) offer 24/7 phone and chat support. A victim‑rights advocate can explain the criminal process, help you understand your options, and accompany you to court if you decide to file charges. You’re not required to decide immediately—take the time you need to heal before making legal decisions.
First, try to get to a safe place and call emergency services (911) if you feel you’re in danger. If you can, keep your clothing on and avoid showering, changing clothes, or cleaning the area until a forensic exam can be performed. Seek medical care as soon as possible—many hospitals have Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) who can collect evidence, test for STIs, and provide emergency contraception. Even if you wait several days, you can still receive medical treatment and counseling.
Contact your local police department or a hospital with a SANE program; they will guide you to a certified forensic examiner. During the exam, you’ll be in a private room, and the examiner will document injuries, collect DNA samples (swabs, clothing, hair), and perform STI and pregnancy testing. The entire process usually takes 30‑90 minutes, and you can have a support person or advocate present. You’ll receive a written report and can choose whether to press charges.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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