Diva Foundation

What is Sexual Violence?

There are different definitions for sexual violence. The European Comission determines it as intolerable behaviour, based on the sex, which is unacceptable, unwanted and insulting. This kind of behaviour can be passive or active and can be revealed in:

• Obscene jokes;
• Hinting at the woman's appearance, that make her feel awkward;
• Unwanted touches;
• Unwanted sexual attention;
• Offences and mockery of sexual character;
• Exaggerated familiarity;
• Showing pornographic materials;
• Suggestions for intimacy in order to get a promotion in the career;
• Force to sexual contacts;
• Raping.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST A CHILD: sexual contacts with a child, established by a member of the family or a man, looking after the child, a neighbour or a stranger. Sexual violence includes physical penetration in the child's body (raping or an attempt at raping), as well as all other kinds of, sexual actions, such as baring the child, feel, "caressing", "playing" with genitals, kisses, given in a sexual way, fornication, drawing into pornographic photos, etc. Sexual violence can be combined with mental violence - intentional baring in the presence of the child, manipulation by conversations on sexual topics, using obscene words, showing pornographic materials. The children, victims of sexual violence, can be either girls or boys of different ages.

RAPING is forced sexual penetration in the victim's vagina or anus against her will.

According to this definition the violator and the victim can be of any sex. The cases, when the victim is unable to give his/her consent, because of mental backwardness, psychosis, changed consciousness (due to the use of drugs, alcohol and medicines), because of sleep or some kind of disease, are regarded as raping as well.

The victims suffered this kind of violence (raping) most seldom apply to the police or psychological centres for help. The information coming from the little number of women, who have looked for help, indicates that usually the violator is from the victim's closest circle or at least knows him/her (in 60-80% of the cases according to the statistics). The cases, when a stranger rapes the victim, are rather few.

Quite often the violators subordinate their victims by intimidation or bribery. The aim is the victim to promise to tell nobody about what has happened. If the perpetrator is a member of the family or a close relative, those around feel a sense of guilt, which can incite them to hide what has happened and not to term the act of sexual abuse.



IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT:
• The raped woman had been caught napping;

• The woman has to pass through the memory for many times so that there will not be a return to the situation;

• The victim always accuses herself for what has happened;

• She remains with the feeling that the world is an insecure place and the people whom she has relied on, could not help her.