Education Center
Our mission is to end domestic and sexual violence and exploitation for all people. We seek to empower and support survivors’ safety, healing, rights, and autonomy while working to transform institutions and public policy by acknowledging the need for social change.
Domestic Violence Defined
Also known as intimate partner violence, battering, or family violence, occurs when one person in the intimate relationship tries to take control over the other by using destructive behaviors that may include physical assaults, sexual abuse, financial control, stalking, emotional or psychological abuse.
The violence may occur constantly or only sporadically.
Anyone can be a victim. Victims can be of any age, sex, race, culture, religion, education, employment or marital status. Children in homes where there is domestic violence are more likely to be abused and/or neglected. Most children in these homes know about the violence. Even if a child is not physically harmed, they may have emotional and behavior difficulties.
Sexual Assault Defined
Sexual assault and abuse is any type of sexual activity that a person is forced or manipulated into without giving consent. Sexual assault is not only a sexual act, it is an act of power and control.
Forms of Sexual Assault:
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Inappropriate touching
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Unwanted vaginal, anal, or oral penetration
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Rape
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Attempted Rape
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Child Molestation
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Incest
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Sexual exploitation by someone in a position of power
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Sexual Harassment
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Marital Rape
Sexual assault can be verbal, visual, or anything that forces a person to join in unwanted sexual contact or attention.
Examples of this are:
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Voyeurism: when someone watches private sexual acts
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Exhibitionism: when someone exposes him/herself in public
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Incest: sexual contact between family members
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Sexual Harassment: uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature especially by a person in authority
myths & FACTS About Sexual Assault
myth: A person 'asks' to be raped by the way they dress, act, talk, etc.
FACT: No one asks to be humiliated, beaten or killed. In most cases, the rape victim is threatened with bodily injury or death if they resist. No one has the "right" to another person's body or to force them into doing an act against their will. A person always has the right to say no and not be raped.
myth: Sexual assaults occur only among strangers.
FACT: A majority of reported rapes are acquaintance rapes; the rape is committed by a person known to the victim.
myth: Sexual assault is a women's problem.
FACT: Sexual assault is a societal problem involving men and women. Recent statistics show us that 1 in 5 males will be sexually assaulted before they are 18.
myth: Rapes occur in back alleys.
FACT: The most common location of rape is in the victim's home. One-half of all rapes occur in private residences.