Sexual Assault

A note about language:  Some refer to those who have been sexually assaulted as victims, while others use survivor.  Often the context (law enforcement, criminal justice, rape crisis center, etc.) determines the term used.  Victim/survivors use the term that feels most appropriate at differing stages of their healing process.  Many begin to identify as neither victim, nor survivor, but as a person who was sexually assaulted at some point in life with that experience no longer influencing how they see themselves.  We’ve chosen to use both terms, sometimes individually, sometimes as victim/survivor.

Both women and men are victims of sexual assault.  Though the majority of victim/survivors are female, we’ve tried to use gender-neutral language where possible to be inclusive of the experience of all those who have experienced this traumatic crime.