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SEXUAL ASSAULTS
Sexually assaulting is forcing attitudes, words and actions with a sexual overtone against s person's will while using threats, blackmail, manipulation, intimidation and/or verbal, physical or psychological violence. It is an act of domination, humiliation and/or abuse of power mainly committed against women and children. During a sexual assault, the abuser takes control over the other person.
TYPES OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS
SEXUAL
ASSAULT
Unwanted and forced sexual intercourse with vaginal, anal and/or oral penetration which may involve the abuser's penis, another part of his body, or an object. Before 1983, this was referred to as rape.
INCEST
When the abuser has blood ties with the victim (e.g., father, grandfather, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, etc.).
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Behaviors involving repeated and unwanted comments or actions, which ca damage the physical and/or psychological integrity of the victim. It should be noted that only the victims can tell whether or not they have felt harassed. Whistling or catcalling, stares that make a person feel naked, and inappropriate comments are all examples of sexual harassment.
PEDOPHILIA
Deviation in which an adult receives or does a sexual favour involving a child.
EXHIBITIONISM
When a person exposes their genitals or masturbates in front of one or more people, with the intent of surprising, shocking, impressing or intimidating.
VOYEURISM
When a person aims to surprise the sexual intimacy of one or more people.
SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
A combination of activities including prostitution, sexual slavery, sex tourism, and human trafficking. Sexually exploiting is getting a person into prostitution and benefitting from it, mostly financially.
CHILD PROSTITUTION
When using the body of minors for sexual purposes, with the goal of making money.
SEXUAL TOUCHING
When a person touches the body (genitals or otherwise) of another person without their consent, causing feeling of discomfort and unease, which can damage the physical and/or psychological integrity of a person.
FROTTEURISM
Repeated and voluntary actions involving touching or rubbing against clothed and non-consensual people, usually in busy public places (e.g., crowd, metro, bar), which facilitate both the physical contact and anonymity.
SEXUAL ASSAULTS,
A SOCIAL ISSUE
Sexual assaults are part of a larger issue: violence against women. Such cases of violence exist because of the patriarchal system in place. Patriarchy is a system of domination based on inequalities, exploitation, discrimination, privileges, values, norms, laws, religions, and socialization. It is also based on the particular claim that women are naturally inferior as human beings.
The men's superiority stems from this premise, as well as the rights, privileges and benefits that are automatically granted to them, such as access to power and better paid jobs, or the unequal sharing of both the housework and responsibilities related to children. Other systems of oppression, such as racism or heterosexism, add to the patriarchy and make women more vulnerable to such displays of violence.
Also resulting from these systems is the tolerance towards men-led acts of violence against women. Since some women move away from the role prescribed by these systems (i.e., to be submissive, obedient, gentle, maternal, etc.), the violence sort of becomes justified, explained with all kinds of aberrant excuses that we hear too often: “She had it coming!” “Did you see how she was dressed? "" What was she doing? She had no business being there!” "She didn't really say no!" "She shouldn't have been drinking that much..." All types of comments that put the blame on the victims, and free the abusers from any responsibility.
The tolerance and trivialization of violence are all the more sustained by all the myths, prejudices and false beliefs that are conveyed rather than denied by society, including the media and social networks. This is the case of the sensationalist news regarding sexual assaults, which talk about conjugal tragedies of passion, about the "good guy" that no one though capable of such actions, and about uncontrollable impulses, rather than describing the social context of unequal gender relations that characterize these assaults.
Education, or rather the lack of education in this case, has a very important role to play in the tolerance towards cases of violence against women. Indeed, the stereotypical education given to boys and girls, with the very limited male and female roles, as well as the lack of real knowledge related to healthy sexuality, continue to perpetuate unequal gender relationships, thus not allowing all this violence to disappear.
These are all the situations that the Calacs tries to denounce, particularly in the field of women's right struggle and advocacy. Trying to bring back equality between men and women to end the so-called natural superiority of men over women, as well as the unacceptable tolerance towards cases of violence against women.