Education
Understanding sexual assault
Plain-language definitions of sexual assault and related harm. These articles are educational. They are not legal advice. Laws differ by country and state. If you are in danger, contact local emergency services.
- What is sexual assault?A plain-language overview of sexual assault as an umbrella term for unwanted sexual contact without consent.
- Consent vs. coercionHow free consent differs from pressure, threats, manipulation, and other forms of coercion.
- Types of sexual assault (overview)Common categories used in education and advocacy: contact assault, rape, attempted assault, and related forms of harm.
- Rape and sexual battery — what the words usually meanHow “rape,” “sexual battery,” and similar legal terms are commonly used, and why wording differs by place.
- Incapacitation and inability to consentWhen someone cannot consent because of sleep, unconsciousness, or intoxication — and why that matters.
- Isolation, dependency, and situational powerHow being stranded, dependent on housing or transport, or far from help affects consent and safety — without naming any person.
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