The following are examples of sexual abuse:

• Unwanted touching
• Demanding sex
• Forcing sex
• Name-calling with sexual epithets
• Demanding sex after a violent incident
• Forcing you to engage in prostitution or pornography
• Forcing you to have sex with others besides your partner
• Insisting on anything sexual that frightens or hurts you
• Refusing to use safe sex practices
• Preventing you from using birth control
• Controlling your decisions about pregnancy and/or abortion
• Withholding sex as a form of control
• Videotaping or photographing sexual acts and posting it without your permission
• Alleging that you have a history of prostitution on legal papers
• Telling you that “as a matter of law” in the United States that you must continue to have sex with him whenever he wants until you are divorced.

Check out Sexual Assault FAQs for information about sexual violence.