Sexual Assault Prevention Post-Course Exam

repeated, unwanted contact that communicates a threat or makes someone fear for their safety

discuss and clearly agree to what each person is comfortable with before any sexual activity Clear Selection Previous

- pressuring someone to make them feel obligated to engage in unwanted sexual activity - deferring responsibility to rationalize making unwanted sexual advances toward someone - threatening to withdraw emotional or financial support unless someone engages in sexual activity . . . "Coercion" occurs when someone purposely uses physical force, threats, or manipulative tactics to pressure, intimidate, or otherwise make someone engage in an unwanted activity, including activity that's sexual. It's an abuse of power and/or a way of trying to leverage control over someone. Examples of sexual coercion include: using intimidation, pressure; threats; manipulation; taking advantage of someone who is incapacitated (or attempting to make someone incapacitated); or rationalizing behavior or blaming external circumstances for behavior.

When someone discloses a concerning or harmful experience to you, remember to listen to them and validate their concern, provide contact information for local resources, empower them to make decisions, and continue to provide support as they make decisions about how to proceed and take time to heal. Above all, remember to tell them that you want to help them and thank them for trusting you.

Some examples of relationship abuse include: excessively monitoring someone's behavior in an attempt to control what they do and with whom; continuing to contact someone who has asked that you stop contacting them; tracking someone through technology or social media; blackmailing a partner with knowledge of illegal or unethical activities; threatening to share harmful, personal, or embarrassing information (for example, photos) with a person's family, friends, colleagues or professional network; threatening to end the relationship, harm themselves, or commit suicide.

If you observe someone who is making another person uncomfortable or attempting to take advantage of them, options to intervene include the following approaches: direct: checking in with the person who may be experiencing harm to see if they're OK; distract: interrupting and distracting the person who is causing harm; delegate: asking friends or people nearby to help.

trauma-induced paralysis . . . A person's physical response to trauma can also be significantly impacted by neurobiological factors. Tonic immobility (or trauma-induced paralysis) is an autonomic hormonal response that causes the body to freeze in situations that provoke extreme fear. Resisting or escaping is not possible for someone experiencing this, because they do not have control over their muscle response.

sexual harassment . . . Sexual harassment doesn't have to involve words; it can also include a person's actions (for example, sharing or posting images or videos that include sexual content without the depicted person's knowledge or permission, even if they consented to the images being taken).