Many victims of sexual abuse are unaware that they are even victims and, what is more troubling, most victims blame themselves. This is because the majority of cases involve a perpetrator whom the victim knows and trusted. The most common indicator that a sexual act is sexual abuse, however, is the fact that it is unwanted and non-consensual. Other signs that indicate you are the victim of sexual abuse include the following:

• You experienced unwanted touching.
• Another person attempted to or did rape you, meaning he or she performed unwanted vaginal, anal or oral penetration with a body part or object.
• Another person took advantage of you while you were drunk or otherwise unable to give consent.
• Another person forced or manipulated you into performing unwanted, degrading or painful acts during intercourse.
• Another person took explicit pictures of you without your consent.
• A partner denied you protection or contraption during intercourse.
• Your partner threatened to break up with you if you refused to perform a sexual act.
• Another person forced you to perform sexual acts for money or on film.

Sexual abuse looks different in almost every situation. So that you can better understand your rights, it is crucial that you know what constitutes sexual violence and that you seek legal advice as soon as you suspect you are the victim of it.