The 14 types of rape and sexual violence

We review the forms of sexual abuse according to different circumstances.

It is estimated that a woman is raped every eight hours in Spain.. And that is only in one country. In another area, between ten and twenty percent of the population has suffered some type of sexual abuse in childhood.

These data reflect the fact that rape and sexual abuse are not as uncommon crimes as most people seem to think. But these acts do not always occur in the same way: those who carry out these acts, the type of relationship they have with the victim and the elements used in forcing the action diverge greatly, so that there can be considered to be very different types of rape and sexual violence.

Conceptualizing rape and sexual violence

Sexual violence is considered to be any situation in which an individual is forced to have sexual relations with another against his or her will, using force, threats, physical or psychological harm to the victim, blackmail or coercion.

One of the best known forms of sexual violence is rape.One of the best known forms of sexual violence is rape, in which the sexual act is carried out in a forced manner. Also included in this category is any type of sexual intercourse in which one of the subjects is not capable of giving or withholding consent due to alterations of consciousness, lack of consciousness or inability to understand or take responsibility for one's own actions.

Psychological and legal effects

This type of act is a serious crime strongly punishable by law and can produce serious alterations to those who suffer it, both in the short and long term. These alterations are physical as well as psychological and emotional, producing a very significant interference in the victim's normative activity. Re-experiencing what happened, feelings of shortening of the future, a high level of anxiety and dissociative episodes are frequent. One of the most frequent disorders suffered by those who are sexually assaulted is post-traumatic stress disorder.

Many of the people who suffer these crimes are not able to report them due to an accumulation of circumstances such as self-blame, fear of reprisals, fear of not being believed or the absence of social support. In fact, it is estimated that around it is estimated that around 80% of cases are not reported.although in recent times there has been an upturn in the number of reports made.

Types of rape and sexual violence

Although the fundamental concept of the act will be the same in all cases, the characteristics of each type of sexual assault may be very different.

This is why it is possible to establish the existence of different types of rape or sexual assault. it is possible to establish the existence of different types of rape or sexual assault.. Some of them are mentioned below.

1. Rape by spouse or partner

On many occasions rape or sexual aggression is committed by individuals with whom the victim has a partner relationship. In these cases the rapist usually believes he has a certain right to sexually dispose of his partner, ignoring the latter's opinion and consent in this regard.

Threats, belittling, manipulation, coercion or brute force are used to consummate the sexual act.. This is a type of physical and psychological mistreatment sometimes carried out as a mechanism to demonstrate power or even as an attempt by an abuser to reconcile by force.

2. Sexual assault on individuals with alterations of conscience

Some of the rapes that are carried out are linked to states in which the sexually assaulted subject is not in a position to give or withhold consent because he/she does not have a sufficient level of consciousness. because they do not have a sufficient level of consciousness. This type of rape can occur while the victim is asleep or is convalescing from an illness or intoxication in which he/she is not able to perceive the situation correctly.

Within this category we can find sexual aggression carried out through the use of substances. This type of sexual assault refers to the use of substances (including alcohol and other drugs) with psychoactive effects in order to alter the victim's level of consciousness and consummate the act by taking advantage of such alteration.

3. Child sexual assault

Pederasty is a crime in which a minor is used as a sexual object by an adult, taking advantage of the difference in age, knowledge, maturity and/or power.

It is generally carried out by persons belonging to the close environment of the child's family or friends.The sexual aggression takes place in a context of abuse of trust. Although physical force is sometimes used, in most cases, the link between victim and attacker or between the attacker and those close to the victim is exploited, using manipulation and coercion. In the case of child sexual assault, the child is not sufficiently aware of what sexual intercourse entails to be able to give or withhold consent.

4. Rape

Statutory rape is the practice of sexual activities between an adult and a minor in which the latter gives his or her consent to the consummation of the act due to the seduction of the minor. to the consummation of the act due to the seduction and manipulation carried out by the adult. The basic difference with child sexual assault is that while in child sexual assault the minor is not aware of what sexual intercourse entails, in statutory rape he/she is.

5. Incestuous sexual assault

Generally linked to the practice of pederasty or child sexual assault, this type of abuse is carried out by the most significant persons of the victim of sexual aggression, taking advantage of this relationship to manipulate the victim.The victim's significant others take advantage of the relationship to manipulate the individual and force his or her consent. Sometimes it is carried out by force, with the knowledge that reporting is unlikely due to the importance of the aggressor to the victim.

6. Assault on persons with disabilities

In many cases, persons with disabilities may be victims of sexual harassment and assault.. Because of their disability, an aggressor may find it easier to force a sexual relationship. One of the most frequent cases of this type of sexual aggression is against people with intellectual disabilities.

Even if they are able to consent to the sexual act, if the aggressor takes advantage of a difference in intellectual capacities and the lack of understanding of the act to coerce and manipulate the individual, he would be carrying out an abuse that can be classified as rape.

7. Sexual assault on the elderly

Elderly people are also frequent victims of sexual abuse.. Due to a reduced physical capacity than in youth, the elderly are a population to which some rapists may have easy access and can be more physically dominated.

In addition, in many cases, abusers may take advantage of the state of cognitive impairment of individuals with advanced dementia, resulting in an abuse of power.

8. Instrumental sexual assault

This type of rape refers to that whose objective is not specifically the obtaining of gratification, whether sexual or derived from the abuse.This type of rape is not specifically aimed at obtaining gratification, whether sexual or derived from the need for power, but is carried out for a specific purpose. Examples are obtaining economic benefit or causing harm to third parties related to the victim.

9. Sexual assault as a hate crime

Sometimes rape is used as a method of rape is used as a method of attacking or humiliating a person belonging to a specific group.. This type of sexual aggression incorporates a component of hatred or contempt towards that group. Examples of this can be found in sexual violence against women, against LGBT persons or against individuals belonging to ethnic minorities.

10. Sexual harassment

In sexual harassment the aggressor proceeds to manifest a series of behaviors and attitudes that provoke feelings of fear, insecurity or anguish in the victim.. Although it does not necessarily involve actual sexual contact (i.e., it may or may not involve rape), the behaviors manifested affect the victim's normal course of activity.

The type of behaviors carried out include requests for sexual relations, unwanted approaches and/or touching, persistent lewd touching, promises or favors in exchange or with the intention of forcing relations, or the use of direct or indirect coercion. It usually occurs in academic or work environments.

11. Rape by strangers

This type of rape is one of the best known by the majority of the population, although it is one of the least common.. In this type of rape, a person with no previous relationship with the victim uses force, threats, coercion or other means to force the victim to have sexual relations.

The aggressor may have made an appointment with the victim for a different purpose, to get to know her or even to assault her directly. The rape can be carried out in the street, a public place, a vehicle or even in the victim's home if the victim is attacked at home (with or without breaking and entering). In some of these cases psychoactive substances are used.

12. Gang rape

Situation in which a group of individuals decides to force one or more persons to have sexual relations, taking advantage of force and the use of force.Taking advantage of the force and number of individuals to intimidate or even physically force them to engage in the sexual act.

13. Rape during war

A high number of rapes occur during wars and armed conflicts.. Apart from sexual abuse committed as a method of obtaining sexual gratification or dominance on the part of the abuser, in many cases rape is encouraged in order to lower the morale of the local population, so as to facilitate conflict and undermine resistance on the part of the attacked side.

14. Sexual exploitation

Another type of sexual violence is that which is carried out by making the victim maintain forced relations with another person or persons, with the exploiter obtaining benefits from such a relationship and forcing or inciting the victim to maintain relations. with another person or persons, with the exploiter obtaining benefits from this relationship and being the one who forces or incites the victim to maintain relations. Forced prostitution is one of these types of violence.