The psychological effect of different types of infringement on your body autonomy cannot be determined by what you think should be worse. Women (people, since men and others get assaulted too) who have never even been touched, but have simply been verbally sexually harassed can suffer PTSD and other debilitating effects of both the physical and the emotional kind, such as depression and sleep disruption. Sexual assault of any sort is potentially just as harmful and damaging as rape. Therefore they can and should be spoken about together.
You are the one who is operating from an incorrect and misleading assumption. Mental Health experts put them together for a reason.
Sexual assault refers to sexual behavior that occurs without the clear consent of the victim. According to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN), this includes:
- Attempted rape;
- Fondling or unwanted sexual touching;
- Forcing a victim to perform sexual acts, such as oral sex or penetrating the perpetrator’s body; and
- Penetration of the victim’s body (rape)
It’s important to note that force does not just mean physical force, but includes manipulation, coercion, threats, and situations where a person is unable to give consent.
Sexual assault can have a variety of short- and long-term effects on a victim’s mental health. Many survivors report flashbacks of their assault, and feelings of shame, isolation, shock, confusion, and guilt. People who were victims of rape or sexual assault are at an increased risk for developing:
Haven’t you learned by now that I carefully research and understand my topics before I write about them? I do not just spout off about how I assume or imagine that things are, the way that some people do.
