About Sexual Assault & Abuse

What is Sexual Assault

The Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA) defines sexual assault as: “Sexual violence refers to an actual or attempted act that is sexual in nature where consent is not obtained or freely given. It is a forced, coerced, or manipulated act that is sexual in nature, breaks a person’s trust and safety, and is primarily motivated out of a need to feel powerful by controlling, dominating, or humiliating the victim. This can include rape, sexual assault, incest, child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, sexual contact, or sexual harassment. Noncontact unwanted sexual experiences are also forms of sexual violence and include exposure, voyeurism, making a victim look at or participate in sexual photos or movies, or verbal sexual harassment.”

Everyone responds uniquely to the trauma of sexaul assault. Sexual assault can happen in any type of relationship, including one where the individuals are dating in a committed way or married.
Learn more about the experiences that fall within Wisconsin’s sexual assault laws here, and the statute of limitations that apply to those laws here

What is Sexual Assault

Identify Abuse