SEXUAL ASSAULT AS AN ASPECT OF FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Sexual assault within intimate relationships is as devastating and degrading for the survivor as being raped by a stranger. The recovery process can be complicated by significant trust issues such as trust of self judgement and trust of others.

Sexual assault in marriage is a crime

"I was not physically battered because I always submitted. Mostly my husband jumped on me when I was asleep, pinned my arms down and clutched my legs with his so that I could not move.... It took me years to realise that what my husband did was rape". (Voices of the Survivors cited in Easteal, P, 1996)

In order to cope in a sexually violent relationship a survivor may choose a number of strategies to minimise the violence and hence attempt to decrease their fear and anxiety levels. For example, sexual violence might be the norm in a survivor’s relationship so they do not call it rape, they might convince themself that their partner will change, they might believe it was their fault or alternatively that it was the result of external factor/s such as alcohol, stress and/or drugs.

Sexual assault within an intimate relationship is a crime; the responsibility always rests with the offender and never the survivor, nor is there ever an excuse for sexual violence within an intimate relationship.

If a person has been raped by their partner then they may be experiencing other forms of violence such as emotional and physical abuse (Scott, Walker & Gilmore, 1995). When working with a survivor who has been sexually assaulted by their partner it is important to provide them with an opportunity to discuss other types of abuse and, where appropriate, introduce them to FDV agencies.

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Last Updated: Friday, 20 March 1998 10:28