It is sexual harm if you experience any kind of sexual behaviour that: 

• you don’t want 

• happens without your informed consent 

• makes you feel uncomfortable or scared.  

It is sexual harm if any of these things happen to you: 

• Someone puts a penis, object or another body part (such as a finger) in your vagina or anus or puts a penis in your mouth without your consent.

• Contact occurs between a mouth and genital without consent.

• Someone touches or kisses you without your consent or makes you touch or kiss them.  

• Someone forces or puts pressure on you to look at or pose for pornographic photos or videos. 

• Someone talks to you or harasses you in a sexual way. 

See more examples of sexual assault.  

You were not able to consent to a sexual act if: 

• Someone forced or threatened you. 

• You were asleep or unconscious. 

• You were highly affected by alcohol or another drug and couldn’t agree to participate in a sexual act. 

• You did not understand that the act was a sexual one. 

• You were mistaken about the sexual nature of the act. 

• The identity of the person performing the act was not made clear to you. 

• Were wrongfully told that the act was being performed for another reason, such as a medical reason. 

There is no right or wrong way to feel after sexual assault and no set time for when you should start to feel better. You will draw on your own unique strengths and skills to survive and cope with sexual assault. See a list of common reactions and feelings.