Calgary Sexual Health Centre Sexual Relationships button Sexual Abuse and Sexual Assault button The Body button Are You Pregnant? button Safer Sex Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity button Youth button Parent Information button Sexuality and Aging button What We Do button Training Centre button News and events button Donate Now button Side Picture © Calgary Sexual Health Centre 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved.

What is Sexual Abuse and Sexual Assault?


Sexual assault is any form of unwanted touching that is forced upon another person without that person’s consent.

Sexual abuse includes all acts of unwanted sexual attention or exploitation, including sexual touching or molesting, exposing a victim to pornographic materials, sexual assault with an object, forced bondage, date rape, gang rape, rape within an intimate relationship, sexual harassment and forcing or causing children to expose themselves. 1

These can be very confusing experiences. They are not always painful and are more often committed by someone familiar to the victim than by a stranger. It can even happen within an intimate relationship. Sexual abuse or assault can happen to anyone – any age, any culture, men, women, transgendered, gay, straight, adult, child, teen, or senior. It is a crime and against the law in Canada.


The Law

The Criminal Code of Canada has laws to protect people from sexual assault. The following are types of sexual assault:

Level 1 - Sexual assault
This is when a person is kissed, sexually touched or forced to have intercourse without his or her consent.
Level 2 - Sexual assault with a weapon, threats to a third party or causing bodily harm
This is when a person is sexually assaulted by someone who has a weapon (or pretends to have one), if the offender threatens to harm another person if he or she does not participate in a sexual act, or if more than one person sexually assaults him or her.
Level 3 - Aggravated sexual assault
This is when a person is wounded, disfigured, beaten, or in danger of losing his or her life while being sexually assaulted.

It is always unlawful for anyone 19 and over to have sexual contact with anyone aged 13 and under. See What is Consent.

It is always unlawful for anyone 19 and over to have sexual contact with anyone aged 13 and under.

It is difficult to estimate how common sexual abuse is because many people don’t report it to the police or anyone. This is especially true if the abuse was committed by a friend, partner, acquaintance or family member and the majority of sexual assaults are committed by someone already known to the victim.


You Are Not To Blame


After a sexually assault, some people feel scared and numb. Sometimes people feel ashamed and blame themselves as if they are somehow responsible. This is not true. You are not responsible for someone else’s actions. It doesn’t matter how you look, what you wear, where you walk or what you say. If you have been sexually assaulted or abused, it is not your fault and help is available. See How to Get Help.

1. Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, (1992). Basic departmental data as cited in the Final Report of the Canadian Panel on Violence Against Women, Changing the Landscape: Ending Violence- Achieving Equality, (1993). Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada, p. 149. The last example of sexual exploitation – causing or forcing children to expose themselves – has been added.