42- Special Edition 1 - Sexual assault awareness (1)

April is the month of international Sexual Assault Awareness, very heavy topic but about to be treated to light the lantern of those who do not know about the victims, far too many.

Indeed, worldwide sexual assaults of any kinds are perpetrated and the statistics are alarming ... but, what is it, exactly, sexual assault?

The law in France states, as you can read on the government website: '' Sexual assault committed by an individual without the consent of the assaulted person (victim). The victim has rights and can file a complaint against her attacker. This incurs imprisonment or imprisonment. ''



There are two main categories of acts that correspond currently in our French law, reprehensible sexual acts: rape and sexual assault.
Attacks can be touching, or even sexual caresses.
The rapes are more serious assaults, and assumes an act of sexual penetration.

In both cases - assault and rape, There is violence, coercion, threat or surprise.

The absence of consent of the victim is of fundamental importance for understanding the nature of these acts: between consenting adults who decide together to have relations, this is not an assault or rape. However, if one of them decides, and the other does not agree, in the absence of consent the act becomes contrary to the wishes of the victim.

Contrary to misconceptions that some may have, this lack of consent can be established also between spouses, domestic partners, boyfriend / girlfriend and closeness of relation does not remove the duty of the people to respect mutual wishes. 
I know for example in some countries, the right to consent is totally absent from the law ... and many husbands have absolute power over their wives ... but we are in France, and there's enough to say about our little local garden ...

Special cases :
Minor victims of sexual assault and rape have specific protections in the law. The culprits are referred to as pedophiles, and in principle the law provides heavy sanctions - already on paper, it also provides them between adults.

Sexual harassment
'' Is characterized by the imposition of a person, repeatedly, words or behavior with sexual connotations that violate their dignity because of their degrading or humiliating character, or creates an intimidating hostile or offensive situation.''

'' At work, there is sexual harassment even with no hierarchical relationship between the perpetrator and the victim (between two colleagues of the same level, two different services ...)

Before the behavior that may be called sexual harassment, it is important to ensure they do not constitute of pure sexual assault. ''

But in every case, too few victims file complaints, and among them, many are left with no real justice - let us be clear: the state still has progress to make. Eg, There is the problem of the legal statute of limitation, ie the maximum time after the events where you can file a complaint against the attacker. 

But the psychological damage may create difficulties and victims often take years before they can decide to file a complaint - and it is often too late.

Some have suggested increasing to 30 years this limitation, but in my opinion should be completely lifted so it would never too late ...

Second part on April 10th