The Crisis Intervention Center - Serving Park County, Wyoming Since 1982

What is Sexual Abuse?

Sexual abuse is any sexual contact without a person's consent, verbal abuse of a sexual nature, or using a person for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to: fondling, flashing, masturbation, intercourse, and oral-genital contact. In cases of child sexual abuse, force or coercion is not necessary for a crime to occur since children are not capable of consenting to sexual activity with an adult.

Some Facts about Sexual Abuse

• The offender is 100% at fault.
• Victims are every age, race, and physical appearance.
• Most sexual assaults involving both adults and children are committed by someone known to the victim; i.e. family members, husbands and boyfriends. Nationally, 60% of sexual assault victims are acquainted with their assailants.
• Sexual Assault is a crime of violence; anger and hostility are acted out to dominate and control another person. Passion, lust, or sexual desire is not the motive for rape.
• All sexual assaults are traumatic experiences. The victim's relationship to the offender and/or the level of physical injury does not indicate the amount of emotional pain and suffering a victim will endure.