Who Commits Sexual Coercion?
Sexual coercion is a crime that can be committed in many different ways by many different types of people. While it is more common for men to attempt to coerce women, it does happen that women use sexual coercion on men. It is important to understand what sexual coercion is and recognize how it happens to be able to prevent it.
What is Sexual Coercion?
Sexual coercion is when a person is tricked into non-consensual sex without the use of physical violence. The victim might be told that they have an outstanding bill to pay that can be paid using sex. Or the victim might be tricked into sex by an aggressor using shame or pity techniques.
Those Closest To You
The bottom line is that anyone can commit sexual coercion. In some cases, it can be committed by people closest to you. A friend, a step-sibling, or even a parent is capable of attempting sexual coercion. This is a wrong that can have a long list of emotional and psychological effects on a victim that can last for many years.
Those You Come Into Contact With
Fellow students, teachers, professors, coworkers, your landlord, or even your postal carrier can also commit sexual coercion. It is important to be able to separate sexual coercion from consensual sex. If you have had thoughts of having sex with a classmate and that classmate returns the interest, then that is not necessarily sexual coercion. If you consent to the sex, then it is not coercion. But if you are tricked into having sex for a grade or other reward without giving consent, then that is coercion.
What Can You Do?
Sexual coercion is a version of sexual assault that happens without physical contact. If you have no intention on giving a person consent for sex, then do not engage that person in sexually-charged conversation. Be sure, if possible, that you record the conversation. There are some people in this world who can be extremely persuasive with the way they talk and the things they say. Once you have made your mind up that you will not give consent, your best course of action is to walk away from a conversation and avoid the possibility of being a victim of sexual coercion.
Our sexual harassment lawyers have years of experience in helping the victims of sexual coercion to get justice. If you feel as though you were the victim of someone else’s skills of persuasion, then contact one of our legal experts right away.