Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse is any unwanted sexual act or activity. There are different kinds of sexual abuse such as rape, sexual assault and female genital mutilation. If you are under 18 years old then this would be considered child sexual abuse. You can find more about this on the child abuse page.

Rape

If someone has sex with you without your consent, this is rape.

The definition of rape is if someone puts their penis in another person's vagina, anus or mouth without consent.

Assault by penetration is when someone puts an object or a part of their body (other than a penis) into a person's vagina or anus, without consent.

It is still rape even if:

You are in a relationship with the offender
You initially consented but then changed your mind and stopped consenting
You didn't fight
You previously flirted or invited the offender home
You have been drinking or taking drugs
You are a women, man, non-binary or trans. Whatever your sex or gender, you can be a victim/survivor of rape.

Sexual assault

Sexual assault is when someone touches you without your consent, with an object or body part, that a reasonable person would consider sexual.

It is also an offence if someone gets you to do or see something sexual without your permission.

Anyone can be a victim/survivor of sexual assault, regardless of your sex/gender, relationship status with the offender, or what the situation was. You may have been wearing clothes, or not.

Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/FGC) is the term used when the external female genitalia has been partially or totally removed, or there has been other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

FGM has no health benefits and can lead to long term psychological and physical problems. It is most often carried out on young girls under the age of 15 years old for various cultural, religious and social reasons.

FGM is a form of child abuse and it is an offence.

The National FGM Centre has more information on FGM.

Warning Signs

Missing school, to go to a country where FGM is common
Spending longer than using going to the toilet or avoiding going to the toilet
Discomfort/pain when sitting down
Changes in behaviour
Frequent urinary or menstrual infections

You can report directly to the Police by calling 101 or online, or you can contact the national FGM helpline on 0800 028 3550.

Talking about a sexual abuse can be difficult. It's completely up to you whether you decide to report it to the police. If you do, they will do everything they can to make sure you get the right care and support. Whatever you decide, there are specialist organisations that can help and support you. You can:

use the search box at the top of this page to find a support service near to you
you can also visit the following websites for further details and help: The Survivors Trust / Rape Crisis England and Wales.

Sex workers

If you are a sex worker, you can still be a victim of sexual abuse. The right to give or withhold consent is the same as anyone else.

You have the right to report any crime committed against you. There are specific services to support you if you have been a victim of crime, or to help you exit sex work if you decide you want to do this. Use the search box at the top to find your nearest one.

There are other types of sexual offences such as:

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is any kind of behaviour that is of a sexual nature that is unwanted and is intended to make you feel scared, intimidated or create a hostile environment.

Behaviour can be:

Verbal harassment
Unwanted flirting, sexual advances
Unwanted touching or physical contact
Personal questions about your sexual history or sexual preferences
Sexual jokes or gestures

Sexual harassment doesn't necessarily take place in person, it can be online or over the phone.

If the harassment is taking place at work, you should speak to your manager, HR team or union. The Equality Advisory and Support Service has a helpline you can call for advice: 0808 800 0082.

If the harassment turns into threats, violence or sexual assault, you can report this to the Police.

If the harassment is taking place at work, on transport or at school, college or university you have the right to take action under the Equality Act 2010 as it is considered unlawful discrimination. This may be making a complaint or making a claim within the civil courts.

Rape Crisis England and Wales have more information that might be helpful.

Upskirting

'Upskirting' is the term used for a type of voyeurism when someone takes photos or videos underneath a person's clothes without their permission, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks.

Although it is mostly linked to women wearing skirts or dresses, it applies to anyone.

Upskirting is a specific criminal offence in England and Wales and perpetrators can face two years in Prison and being placed on the sex offenders register.

If it happens to you:

Move yourself to a safer situation/location
Don't engage directly with the offender
If it's safe to do so, consider taking a photo of them from a safe distance. This can be used if you do decide to report.
Report, if you feel you can.

Indecent exposure

Indecent exposure is sometimes referred to as 'flashing'. It is when someone deliberately exposes their genitals to frighten or upset someone. When it happens online or over text message, it is referred to as 'cyber flashing'.

Flashing can have a long term impact on someone's wellbeing.

Although it is common to hear of it happened in public spaces, such as parks or on public transport. It can happen anywhere at any time of day or night and through various online and social media applications.

Voyeurism

Voyeurism is when someone gets sexual pleasure from watching, photographing or recording others doing something that's usually private, for example when they're naked or having sex.

Voyeurism is an offence if it is done without the person's permission, including if the photographing or filming is done for someone else's sexual pleasure.

Revenge Porn

Revenge porn is when someone shares (or threaten to share) sexual photos or videos of someone without their permission. It can also be referred to as intimate image abuse.

Sharing of images can be through:

Uploading directly to the internet
Through text or emails
Showing someone the physical or electronic image

What to do

If someone has posted images of you online, that are explicit:

Take screenshots
Save messages and images
Save the URL links to where information is shared online

You can report directly to the website where the images have been posted and ask them to be removed. You can find more detail about how to do this on various platforms on the Report Harmful Content website. If you need further advice on how to get online material removed, you can contact the Revenge Porn Helpline on 0345 6000 459.

You can also report to the Police online, by calling 101 or going to a police station.

If you (or the victim in the picture) is under 18, this is considered child sexual abuse. You can report image based sexual abuse to the police on the Child Exploitation and Online Protection website or anonymously to the Internet Watch Foundation.

Childline also runs Report Remove to help young people under 18 in the UK confidentially report sexual images and videos of themselves and remove them from the internet.

Sextortion

'Sextortion' is a form of intimate image abuse and blackmail. The perpetrator normally makes the threat of 'nudes' or sexually explicit images or videos for money or to force someone to do something.

The person threatening may be using a fake identity, used to befriend victims online. They may also have recorded sexual content without the consent or knowledge of the victim, sometimes during a sexual exchange via webcam or a camera on a device.

If you have experienced sextortion, you are not to blame.

If you are under 18 years old, and someone is threatening you, this is considered child sexual abuse.

Signs of sextortion

Is the person trying to start a relationship with you quickly?
Has the person repeatedly asked you to do sexual things?
Has the person accessed your contacts or told you they've hacked your account?

What to do

Gather evidence- take screenshots, save messages and images, make a note of usernames, email addresses, phone numbers, bank account numbers and URLS of where the content is being shared online (if it is)
Don't pay any money, or if you already have, don't pay any more.
Stop communication with the offender
If you are a parent, and you believe your child is being sexually extorted, the Internet Watch Foundation has some recommended steps on what to do

How to report

If you want to report to the Police, you can call 101 or report online.
Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse can help detect and remove images from being shared online
If you are under 18, report to Child Exploitation and Online Protection. If you feel you are not ready yet, you can call Childline for advice on 0800 111

There are organisations to the right of this page that can support you, alternatively use the search bar at the top.

Consent is when you have agreed to be involved or take part in the sexual activity. You have the freedom and ability to make, and change, that choice.

The age of consent in the UK is 16. A child under the age of 13 cannot legally consent to any sexual activity.

If the person has a mental disorder that can affect their ability to make a choice, or understand the choice they are making, they may not be seen as having consented under law.

Regardless of consent, it is a criminal offence if someone has had sexual contact with you, you are under the age of 18 and they are in a position of trust to you.

If you have just been assaulted, Survivors Network have a help guide on what you can do.

There is no right or wrong for how you might feel. If you can, try to go somewhere that feels safe. Talk to someone about what has happened. If you don't feel like talking to a friend or family members you can call the Rape Crisis National Helpline on 0808 802 9999.

If you're not sure if you want to report to the police or not, you can still go along to your nearest SARC. If you want forensic evidence to be collected try and take the following steps:

Don't wash or change your clothes
Try not to go to the toilet
Don't eat or drink
Don't brush your teeth

If you have already done some of these, don't worry. Put any clothes that were worn at the time in a clean bag and bring them with you.

The forensic evidence can be kept until you make the decision to report to the Police, or not.

The Saturn Centre is the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Crawley. They provide free, confidential healthcare and support to people aged 14 years or over who have experienced a sexual assault including rape.

To contact the SARC, call 0330 223 0099 (available 24/7) to speak to a nurse or email mhl.saturncentre@nhs.net

You can find more detail about what happens during an appointment here.

They can conduct a forensic medical examination, store any evidence until you decide whether to report to the Police, as well as test for any sexual transmitted infections and pregnancy.

You don't have to involve the police to attend a SARC. However, if you do decide to report the assault, the police can make the appointment for you and attend the centre with you.

For those aged 13 years and younger the SARC is based in Brighton. Referrals must come from the police or social workers. If you think a child may have been (or is being) sexual abused or assaulted please contact the police or social care services:

Sussex Police- 101 or 999 in an emergency
West Sussex Children Services- 01403 229900 (or 033 022 26664 out of hours)
Brighton and Hove Children Services- 01273 290 400
East Sussex Children Services- 01323 464222 (or 01273 335906/335905 out of hours)

The choice to report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences can be difficult to make. Regardless of whether the offence just happened or it took place years ago, you have the same choices to report:

You can report it direct to the police online, by calling 101 or going to a police station. You can also do this anonymously.
You can report anonymously to Crimestoppers online or by calling them on 0800 555 111
Some organisations can report it on your behalf. Speak to a support service to the right.

Survivors Network, in partnership with Sussex Police, are running drop in sessions on reporting options.

After reporting

After making a report to the Police, you will be asked to give more details about who committed the offence, what happened, where did it happen and when. You may not remember all these details, or be ready or want to share. It's up to you who you talk to and what you share.

Any information given can be used to identify patterns of crime, locations or offenders.

A specialist officer will be assigned to your case and will support you in making a formal complaint and going through the process of an investigation, including attending a SARC if needed.

If the case goes to trial, there is extra support called special measures. You can read more about this in the 'going to court' section.

The following are some ways that sex offenders are managed after committing an offence.

Sex Offenders Register

The Sex Offenders Register records the detail of certain people who have been convicted, cautioned or in prison for a sexual offence since 1997. The type of offence and sentence received decides whether their details will be recorded on the register.

The sexual offences they have been convicted or cautioned for, can range from 'upskirting' to rape.

Every adult who has been convicted, cautioned or in prison for a sexual offence against a child will go on the register, regardless of the offence or sentence.

Once on the Register, the offenders will be managed in the community by specialist police and probation officers. They have to provide all their personal details to the Police, and update them if there are any changes. You can find out more detail about how they are managed on the Sussex Police website.

If the person received a sentence of 30 months or more than they will be on the register indefinitely. For those who are cautioned only, they will be removed after 2 years.

Sexual Harm Prevention Orders

Sexual Harm Prevention Orders (SHPO) are sometimes put into place to manage sex offenders within the community. The orders include specific rules they are to follow, such as:

- Not go to places where children gather (playgrounds, schools)

- Provide up to date details within a certain number of days

- Not take part in certain activities

If they break the SHPO, they can be prosecuted in court.

Who can help?

Lifecentre

To make a counselling referral: 01243 786349, Freephone Helpline: 0808 802 0808, Text Helpline: 07717 989 022

Email Open website

Mankind UK

01273 911680

Email Open website

Survivors' Network

Email Open website

See all support for Sexual abuse