Research glossary

as set out in the Sexual Offences Amendment Act this refers (1) A person (‘A’) who unlawfully and
intentionally sexually violates a complainant (‘B’), without the consent of B, is guilty of the offence of sexual assault. (2)
A person (‘A’) who unlawfully and intentionally inspires the belief in a complainant (‘B’) that B will be sexually violated,
is guilty of the offence of sexual assault.

Sexual coercion is unwanted sexual activity that happens after being pressured in nonphysical ways that include:

Being worn down by someone who repeatedly asks for sex
Being lied to or being promised things that weren’t true to trick you into having sex
Having someone threaten to end a relationship or spread rumors about you if you don’t have sex with them
Having an authority figure, like a boss, property manager, loan officer, or professor, use their influence or authority to pressure you into having sex.
Other “methods of coercion used by perpetrators of sexual violence to exert power and aggression over victims/ survivors include: intimidation and threats; assaultive behaviour or physical force; the use of alcohol or other substances; the use of power imbalances created by social status, position or role, physical size/strength/ ability; persistent pressure to wear down the victim/survivor; and the exploitation of vulnerabilities.

In a healthy relationship, you never have to have sexual contact when you don’t want to. Sexual contact without your consent is assault. Sexual coercion means feeling forced to have sexual contact with someone

: the act of using pressure, force or other tactics or manipulation to have sexual contact with someone
against his or her will. This includes persistent attempts to have sexual contact with someone who has already
refused.

Sexual abuse of children and youth through the exchange of sex or sexual acts for drugs, food, shelter, protection, or other basics of life, and/or money. Sexual exploitation includes involving children and youth in creating pornography and sexually explicit websites.

Any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other forms of verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can involve an abuse of power and is often used as a way of controlling or intimidating someone.

Takes the masochistic acts to an extreme and can result in severe bodily or psychologic harm and even death.
For example, masochistic sexual activity may involve asphyxiophilia, whereby the person is partially choked or
strangled (either by a partner or by the self-application of a noose around the neck). A temporary decrease in
oxygen to the brain at the point of orgasm is sought as an enhancement to sexual release, but the practice
may accidentally result in death (American Psychiatric Association, DSM IV, 2000).

as set out in the Sexual Offences Amendment Act this refers to any offence in terms of Chapters 2, 3
and 4 and sections 55 and 71 (1), (2) and (6) of the Act.

these are specialist and dedicated courts that only deal with sexual offences

Term used to describe a pattern of emotional, romantic and/or sexual attractions. Sexual orientations can include, but are not limited to, heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, pansexual, polysexual, queer.

as set out in the Sexual Offences Amendment Act, this means any act which causes penetration
to any extent whatsoever by (a) the genital organs of one person into or beyond the genital organs, anus, or mouth of
another person; (b) any other part of the body of one person or, any object, including any part of the body of an animal,
into or beyond the genital organs or anus of another person; or (c) the genital organs of an animal, into or beyond the
mouth of another person, and ‘sexually penetrates’ has a corresponding meaning.

as set out in the Sexual Offences Amendment Act, ‘sexual violation’ includes any act which causes (a)
direct or indirect contact between the (i) genital organs or anus of one person or, in the case of a female, her breasts, and
any part of the body of another person or an animal, or any object, including any object resembling or representing the
genital organs or anus of a person or an animal; (ii) mouth of one person and (aa) the genital organs or anus of another
person or, in the case of a female, her breasts; (bb) the mouth of another person; (cc) any other part of the body of
another person, other than the genital organs or anus of that person or, in the case of a female, her breasts, which could
(aaa) be used in an act of sexual penetration; (bbb) cause sexual arousal or stimulation; or (ccc) be sexually aroused or
stimulated thereby; or (dd) any object resembling the genital organs or anus of a person, and in the case of a female, her
breasts, or an animal; or (iii) mouth of the complainant and the genital organs or anus of an animal; (b) the masturbation
of one person by another person; or (c) the insertion of any object resembling or representing the genital organs of a
person or animal, into or beyond the mouth of another person, but does not include an act of sexual penetration.

Sexual act without consent, attempt to obtain a sexual act, threat to obtain a sexual act, or unwanted sexual comments or advances, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim / survivor in any setting, including but not limited to home and work.

Any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic a person’s sexuality, using coercion, threats of harm or physical force, by any person regardless of relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work.

- We use the term "sexuality", in its broadest sense, to talk about the way in which people test themselves as
sexual ‘subjects’, and the ways in which they describe this experience. If the term has been limited before to
aspects of formation of the person’s genetic, sexual behaviors, physiological, emotional and psychological
expressions, it’s now expanded to include cultural identity, and the symbols and representations related to sex.
Thus sexuality has become a domain of both the "private space" and "public space", at the same time. And by
virtue of being biologically based, i.e., sex is universal, yet specific to each social and cultural setting. Thus,
sexuality is a historical, cultural and social concept, which changes depending on place and time, making it a
variable rather than a constant. Hence, the meanings that people attach to their sexual behavior and
expressions related to this dimension are culturally constructed. (Beydoun, 2011).

STIs are infections passed primarily through sexual contact (vaginal, oral, or anal). Some can also spread through blood, pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.

Many STIs have no symptoms, so regular testing and protection are important.

an infec
- tion passed on or caught through sexual contact

Sibling sexual abuse involves sexual behaviour between siblings (or children raised in the same household) where there is coercion, a power imbalance, manipulation, or lack of consent. It is one of the least reported forms of abuse and can have long-term psychological effects, including shame, confusion, trauma, and difficulty trusting others.

Sibling sexual abuse is a specific form of child-on-child sexual abuse (COCSA). However, not all child-on-child sexual abuse happens between siblings; it can also occur between classmates, neighbours, or other children who are not related.

Unwritten rules that regulate acceptable behaviour in a group. Social norms define what is expected of people in society; they are both embedded in institutions and nested in people’s minds.

People and families having security in the face of vulnerabilities and contingencies, it is having access to health
care, and it is about working in safety (ILO, 2003). It is a set of public measures that a society provides for its
members to protect them against economic and social distress that would be caused by the absence or a
substantial reduction of income from work as a result of various contingencies (sickness, maternity,
employment injury, unemployment, invalidity, old age, and death of the breadwinner); the provision of health
care; and, the provision of benefits for families with children (ILO, 2000).