Sexual abuse or assault is a significant concern in today’s time. With the increasing case of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and physical violence, everyone must educate themselves on identifying problematic behaviors in individuals. Often the incidents reported under sexual assault and abuse are of family members or a close friend of the victim. Sometimes the individual we trust the most might not have our best interests at heart, which can cause concern regarding our safety and security.
Most sexual assault victims are traumatized and scared to speak up against their abuser, which might result in the harassment being unreported. However, with the help of the correct Atlanta sexual assault lawyers, you can ensure your future safety and start your healing process as soon as possible.
Practices that can help prevent sexual assault and abuse
- Respect the other person’s consent.
Many people do not understand that the other person does give them consent to go forward with a sexual activity. However, this can be prevented by being open to communication with the other person. It does not matter whether the person you are about to get sexually involved with is your spouse, friend, girlfriend, or acquaintance. It is necessary to understand their mental state before proceeding forward.
Abusive behavior might not always be prominent even to the offender. In many cases, offenders are unaware of their pushy behavior towards the victims due to past experiences where the other person kept quiet about the assault. Hence it is always better to respect the other person’s consent and willingness to get involved before taking further steps.
Most people try to take hints and assume the other person’s behavior. Nevertheless, even when you think the other person might be interested, you must clarify before moving forward. You never know when the person might get uncomfortable with you, so be respectful of boundaries and remember that everyone is different.
- Participate in sexual assault awareness and prevention programs
Even though today’s youth are well aware of most topics due to the internet’s impact on their lives, many people are unaware of the concept of consent in the true sense. This is because no one might have ever educated them about proper consent.
Participating in programs and seminars that educate you about consent, sexual abuse prevention, and how to escalate yourself from such a situation can benefit you and the people around you.