Sexual violence is forced or coerced sexual contact without consent – the presence of a clear yes, not the absence of a no. Sexual assault is a crime motivated by a need to control, humiliate, dominate and harm. It can take the form of:
​
-
Rape
-
Incest
-
Child Sexual Abuse/Molestation
-
Oral sex
-
Harassment
-
Exposing/flashing
-
Forcing a person to pose for sexual pictures
-
Fondling or unwanted sexual touching above and under clothing
-
Force which may include but is not limited to:
-
Use or display of a weapon
-
Physical battering
-
Immobilization of the victim
-
​​
In New Jersey, the law defines sexual assault as "the penetration, no matter how slight, in which physical force or coercion is used or in which the victim is physically or mentally incapacitated."
​​
Resources for victims of sexual violence