Introduction

Sexual assault is any sexual act performed on individuals without their consent.  This includes a range of activities such as rape, attempted rape, unwanted touching, and sexual coercion.  Consent must be given freely and without coercion, and it can be withdrawn at any time.  Rape is a type of sexual assault involving penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina, anus, or mouth by a body part or object without consent.  Sexual coercion is the use of pressure/power, alcohol, drugs, or force to have sexual contact with someone against their will.

Risk factors

Sexual violence affects persons from every socioeconomic demographic.  Therefore, risk factors can vary widely and are often complex.  Some key risk factors include:

Individual factors
  • Younger age

  • Female sex

  • LGBTQ+ individuals

Continue Learning with UWorld

Get the full Sexual Assault article plus rich visuals, real-world cases, and in-depth insights from medical experts, all available through the UWorld Medical Library.

Tables

Table 1
Table 2
Table 3