Sexual Abuse
What is Sexual Abuse In an Intimate Relationship?
Sexual Abuse within an intimate relationship is any form of sexual activity that happens without your active, ongoing and freely given consent. Any sexual behaviour that makes you feel uncomfortable, intimidated or afraid can be sexual abuse.
Impacts of Sexual Abuse
Experiencing sexual abuse in your intimate relationship can have many emotional and physical effects. These may include anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide, post traumatic stress, unplanned pregnancy and STIs. It can result in you abusing substances to cope with the abuse.
Does your partner/ex-partner :
- Demand sex
- Make you feel guilty for not having sex
- Tell you it’s your duty to have sex with them - coercion is not consent
- Force you to kiss them
- Touch you sexually without your consent
- Force you to give them oral sex or perform other sexual acts
- Rape or attempt to rape you
- Hurt you physically, without your consent, while having sex
- Take intimate pictures of you without your consent - this is image based sexual abuse
- Share/threaten to share intimate images/videos of you - sharing intimate images without your consent is a crime
- Coerce/force you to have sex without protection
- Fail to tell you they have an STI
- Withhold your contraception pill/device or control your access to it
- Make you watch pornography or force you to participate in the making of it
- Force you to have sex with other people. This is human trafficking
- Degrade you based on your sexual orientation
Help Is Available
You deserve to be in a relationship where you feel safe, respected and valued.
If you, or someone you care about, is experiencing any form of controlling and abusive behaviour from your partner, ex or family member, call our confidential 24/7 Helpline 1800 819 999.
If you are in immediate danger call the Gardai 999/112.
To learn about reporting abuse to the Gardai visit the Garda website.
