If you’ve been sexually assaulted it’s important to remember that is not your fault. Sexual violence is a crime, no matter who commits it or where it happens. In this section, we explain what sexual violence is and most importantly, how to access the many help and support services available across the Bradford district.

Sexual violence is where someone forces or manipulates someone else into unwanted sexual activity without their consent and it can happen to anyone.

Sexual violence can happen to people of all ages, backgrounds, cultures, sexualities, faiths and ethnicities. This includes children, older people, LGBT+ people and disabled people. Those who sexually abuse can be acquaintances, family members, trusted individuals or strangers.

What is consent?

Consent means saying “yes” to what happened. Being intoxicated, not being asked, saying nothing, or saying yes to something else, is not consent. Being in a relationship or married to someone is not consent.

It doesn’t matter if you have given consent to sex with that person in the past, or if you’re in a relationship with the other person – you still have the right to say no to sex with them.

Different forms of sexual violence.

Sexual violence is any unwanted sexual act or activity. There are many different kinds, including: rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, forced marriage, so-called honour-based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), trafficking, sexual exploitation, and others.

In order to describe the different forms of sexual violence, the next section contains some explicit words that some may find difficult to read.

Rape or sexual assault:

Rape is when a person intentionally penetrates another’s vagina, anus or mouth with a penis, without the other person’s consent. Assault by penetration is when a person penetrates another person’s vagina or anus with any part of the body other than a penis, or by using an object, without the person’s consent.

Child sexual abuse:

Child sexual abuse is any situation when a child or young person is tricked or forced into any sexual contact/activity.

Intimate partner sexual assault:

This sexual violence is between couples and can include rape and sexual assault (as above) but it may also include non-contact abuse, such as being forced to look at pornographic material or being forced to engage in sexual acts with someone else.

Unwanted sexual contact/touching:

Any sexual touching that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient is sexual violence and no one has the right to touch you in any way without your consent. Unwanted sexual contact or touching can happen anywhere – on your way to work, in work, on public transport, in clubs or bars. It can be a person groping or brushing up against someone else in a sexual manner, or deliberately touching or kissing someone without them wanting this to happen.

Sexual harassment

Here we list some examples of sexual harassment:

• Making conditions of employment or advancement dependent on sexual favours, either explicitly or implicitly.
• Physical acts of sexual assault.
• Requests for sexual favours.
• Verbal harassment of a sexual nature, including jokes referring to sexual acts or sexual orientation.
• Unwanted touching or physical contact.
• Unwelcome sexual advances.
• Discussing sexual relations/stories/fantasies at work, school, or in other inappropriate places.
• Feeling pressured to engage with someone sexually.
• Exposing oneself or performing sexual acts on oneself.
• Unwanted sexually explicit photos, emails, or text messages.

Sexual exploitation

Sexual exploitation includes rape, prostitution, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting. Adults and children can be sexually exploited.

Showing one’s genitals or naked body to other(s) without consent:

It’s not a crime to send intimate images or videos of yourself privately to another person if you’re both consenting adults. It’s a crime to show intimate images or videos, send them to another person, upload them to a website, or threaten to do this, without your consent.

It is also illegal for someone to have sexual images of anyone under the age of 18. Sexual images might include if someone’s naked, in their underwear, or pictures of them doing sexual acts – including masturbating. It’s also illegal to share and send naked pictures or videos with other people. The important thing to remember is that this does include pictures of yourself – so you can be breaking the law by sending nudes if you’re under 18 and the person receiving them is also doing something illegal by saving them.

Indecent exposure

Indecent exposure refers to the act of purposefully displaying or revealing one’s genitals, or sexually pleasuring oneself, in a public place or in view of one or more members of the general public. The offence is sometimes informally referred to as “flashing”.

Voyeurism:

Voyeurism is when someone gets sexual pleasure from watching, photographing or recording others doing something that’s usually private, for example when they’re naked or having sex. Voyeurism is an offence if it is done without the person’s permission.

Female genital mutilation

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but there’s no medical reason for this to be done. It’s also known as female circumcision or cutting, and by other terms, such as Sunna, gudniin, halalays, tahur, megrez and khitan, among others.

Specialist support services

Here is an easy read version about sexual violence by Bradford Rape Crisis – https://bradfordrapecrisis.org.uk/easy-read.php

01274 535 432 – open 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday
The Victim Support Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Team offer support to anyone in West Yorkshire who has experienced sexual abuse and is thinking about, or has reported the crime to the police. They give impartial advice on the criminal justice system and offer provide practical and emotional support to help you manage the impact of the crime. Their team consists of specialist child sexual exploitation workers, disability workers and workers who support children and young people. The service supports all ages and genders.

0300 303 1971 – open 8am-8pm, Monday-Saturday
Victim Support also give free and confidential support to people who have been affected by other types of crime in West Yorkshire, including domestic violence. They are an independent charity, and they can be contacted for support regardless of whether the police have been involved, and no matter how long ago the crime took place.

Survive and Thrive

Survive and Thrive is a partnership of Staying Put, Family Action and WomenCentre. The service is designed to help anyone who has experienced domestic abuse. They can help with:

• Emergency safe refuge and dispersed accommodation in Bradford
• Short and long-term support services
• Specialist support for survivors and recovery support groups

They also have a helpline called the One Front Door. You can call the free helpline on 0808 2800 999. It is open Monday to Friday, 9:30am – 4:30pm.

There is an online live chat available Monday to Friday 5.00pm- 8:00pm, and 11.00am-2.00pm on weekends. This is available to access on the Staying Put website.

Here is an easy read version about sexual violence by Bradford Rape Crisis – https://bradfordrapecrisis.org.uk/easy-read.php