Sexual violence covers a range of sexual acts that happen to someone without their consent

All sexual activity has to be consensual, otherwise it is a crime. 

Use the dictionary below to learn some of the terms you might hear when discussing sexual violence. 

De-mystifying 'sexual violence'

Sexual violence includes 

• sexual comments, such as: telling sexual stories, making lewd comments, making sexual remarks about clothes and appearance and calling someone sexualised names; 

• sexual “jokes” or taunting;

• physical behaviour, such as: deliberately brushing against someone, interfering with someone’s clothes and displaying pictures, photos or drawings of a sexual nature;

• online sexual harassment. This may be standalone, or part of a wider pattern of sexual harassment and/or sexual violence. It may include: 

consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos

sharing of unwanted explicit content;

upskirting; 

sexualised online bullying; 

unwanted sexual comments and messages, including, on social media; 

sexual exploitation; 

coercion and threats. 

What can I do? 

Sexual violence and harassment is unacceptable and is against the law. If you experience it, or you witness it happening to someone else, it's important to take action. 

• take a note of what has happened - what was said/done, by who, where? 

• if you feel comfortable, tell the person that what they have done/said is not okay and you are not comfortable with it 

• tell someone; speak to a friend, a teacher, a family member

• if you would like to report something in College to the safeguarding team, you can use the Report It form. 

• consider accessing support externally, using one of the services below. 

Let's Get Talking Campaign 

If you have a story to share, we want to hear from you. The 'Let's Get Talking' platform is for you to anonymously share what you have experienced and hear what others have experienced. 

Click here to read more. (TW - Survivor Testimonies)

Other helpful resources: 

Self Help

Self Help Guides: https://www.kcrasac.co.uk/self-help/

Self Help Tools : https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/tools-for-victims-and-survivors/ 

The 5 F's: fight, flight, freeze, flop and friend https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/tools-for-victims-and-survivors/understanding-your-response/fight-or-flight/ 

Supporting survivors

Tips for supporting a survivor of sexual violence (Rape Crisis UK website): https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/supporting-a-survivor/ 

Share your experience (TW - Survivor Testimonies)

Everyone's Invited. (a place for sexual violence survivors to share their experiences): https://www.everyonesinvited.uk/

The Egalitarian. (a place for spiking survivors to share their experiences): https://www.theegalitarian.co.uk/spike-report