Sexual Assault is a violent crime meant to degrade, humiliate, and control. It can happen to anyone at any time or place. Whether the attacker is known or not, sexual assault and sexual abuse can be very traumatic. Recovering from this violation may seem like an impossible task, but help is available. Victim Assistance staff can listen, discuss, and help identify resources in response to concerns about numerous variations of sexual abuse, including:

Intimate Partner Sexual Assault (Spousal Rape)
Sexual Assault is a crime, even if the victim and offender are married or living together. A wife, girlfriend, or date has a right to decide if, when, and how she wants to participate in sexual activity with her partner.

Forcible Rape at the hands of a Stranger
Although much less common than sexual abuse at the hands of a known person, this form of sexual assault does occur and can influence powerful reactions on the part of the victim.

Children’s Safety
Unfortunately, most abuse of children, including sexual abuse, occurs not at the hands of strangers, but by family, friends, and neighbors. Mental preparation which helps children be aware of danger signals and safe options is the most important element of prevention.
Someone once said, “The best time to repair your roof is before it’s raining.” The best time to prepare your children is before they are in a situation when their decisions are difficult, urgent, critical, and even life threatening.

Acquaintance/Date Rape
20% of teenage girls and young women have experienced some form of dating violence. Violation by a friend, co-worker, acquaintance, or boyfriend is the single most prevalent form of sexual abuse or sexual assault. Because of the relationship and all of its related complications (working together, living nearby, family get-togethers, going to school together, violation of trust), being a victim of Acquaintance Rape is one of the least reported, yet most agonizing forms of sexual abuse.

Adults Molested as Children
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse may experience memories and flashbacks, anger, grieving and mourning, guilt, shame and blame, and/or difficulty setting limits and maintaining boundaries.

Male Rape
Males as well as women can be victims of rape, by both men and by women perpetrators. It is the lack of consent (or ability to consent) rather than the sexual act which creates rape. Sexual abuse has unique dynamics for male victims.

More Information
For more information on all of these forms of sexual abuse, click here to visit the National Center for Victims of Crime website.

Prevention and Personal Safety
Both of the following programs, radKIDS (for children) and R.A.D (for women) are offered by the Glendale Police Department. For more information, contact Lori Smith at (623) 930-3722.

radKIDS (Resist Aggression Defensively) is a children’s personal safety empowerment program that teaches safety options for children ages 5 – 12 years old.  The radKIDS program addresses self-defense moves, good touch, bad touch, and uncomfortable touch, bike safety, gun safety, fire safety, home safety, park safety, water safety, resisting bullies, and much more!

R.A.D. www.rad-systems.com The “Rape Aggression Defense System” is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women. The R.A.D. System is a comprehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on self-defense training.