Acquaintance Rape

Definition –

Any non- consensual sexual activity between two or more people who know each other –can happen between friends, spouses, girlfriends and/or boyfriends.

Note – Acquaintance rape can occur even if a prior or current relationship existed.  Verbal Consent must be obtained by both parties in any act of sexual intimacy.

Common Risk Factors

1. Drinking to the point of being drunk or unable to resist sexual advances. Using recreational drugs that impair judgement or make it difficult to resist sexual advances. 

 

2. Outdated beliefs about sexual roles, such as thinking that someone who pays for a date has the right to expect sex. Prior history of rape or sexual victimisation.

 

Stages of Awareness

1. Attempt by the offender to violate the victim’s personal space.

 

2. Victim becomes desensitised and convinces themselves that the perpetrator’s actions are non- threatening.

 

3. Offenders may use victim’s trust to isolate them from others.

 

Note - Often victims of Acquaintance Assault do not identify their experience as sexual assault and victims of this type of rape often blame themselves.