What is sexual abuse and violence? The surprising reality

What is sexual abuse and violence? What might people be surprised to realise is sexual abuse...

Sexual abuse is commonly thought to be extreme cases of violence. However sexual abuse can take many forms including actions that some people may not immediately realise as abusive.  One area that is often misunderstood is the act of physical touching which can sometimes just simply be dismissed when it occurs in a subtle manner. Below are some examples of this and by understanding these behaviours and identifying the abuse, this will help to prevent it and ensure that all forms of unwanted sexual contact is taken seriously. 

The first example is touching under a professional conduct. This can be from doctors, massage therapists and other professionals. If professionals need to touch others as part of their work, they must always obtain informed consent and ensure their actions remain appropriate. If someone is using their position of authority to touch others in a sexual manner without consent this is abuse and can result in legal consequences. 

Another example is forced physical contact in relationships. Even in a romantic relationship or marriage, consent is still required.  Being consistently touched without consent especially after saying no, is sexual abuse.  

A third example is unwanted groping. This can occur in a public setting or again even in a relationship. Any non-consensual touching of private areas is classed as sexual abuse and should not be downplayed as something insignificant. 

Sexual abuse does not always to have to be extreme violence as outlined above. Many survivors of sexual abuse do not realise that their experiences can be much more significant than they may think. Their actions may be downplayed by others and therefore make survivors feel that what they experienced is ‘not a big deal.’ 

Here at Jordans Solicitors we aim to provide a path for survivors of abuse to seek justice and secure financial compensation in order to obtain a feeling of closure for the distress this will have caused.