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Entity discusses the definition of sexual assault, and yes catcalling is sexual assault.

We all know what actions fall under the classic definition of sexual assault (rape, molestation, etc.). These are just about indisputable in the United States.

But what about the less covered acts, like verbal harassment and pressured intimacy? Do these terms fall under the same sexual violence umbrella?

Entity discusses the definition of sexual assault, and yes catcalling is sexual assault.

Pam counters the misconceptions about sexual assault. Image via NBC/Giphy

The National Resource Center for Sexual Assault (NRCSA) confirms that they do. Their online survey of over a thousand US adults revealed a chilling ignorance of this fact. But perhaps the most convicting detail is the percentage of women who did consider certain acts as assault.

So which acts were covered in this study?

23 percent of Americans did not categorize child pornography as sexual assault.

The percentage was the same for sex trafficking, and 32 percent did not consider incest to fall under the category of sexual assault.

33 percent of men did not believe pressuring a partner to have sex counted as sexual assault.

21 percent of women held this same belief. However, the term “pressured” implies the act was unwanted, which makes the act sexually violent.

40 percent of women did not believe verbal harassment counted as sexual violence.

And 52 percent of men had the same answer. The survey defined verbal harassment as “unwanted verbal remarks that are provocative or unsolicited.” Although the NRCSA contends that this does indeed count as sexual violence, almost half of the country disagrees.

84 percent of men agreed that rape is sexual assault.

The study commended the population for this percentage, for it had improved over the years. Fortunately, both genders generally scored high levels of awareness. Only on the less common topics was there a discrepancy.

The NRCSA would like to gently remind the general population that “sexual violence is any type of unwanted sexual contact, ranging from sexist attitudes and actions to rape and murder.” It may seem rash to include catcalling in this category, but sexual assault comes in many forms — and it is not always obvious.

Laura Palumbo, Director of Communications at the NRCSA, urges every American to know exactly how many forms sexual violence can take: “The greater the awareness, the more likely individuals will be empowered to engage as bystanders and intervene to prevent sexual assault before or during an act.”

So now that we know what sexual assault is, how about we help a sister out? You know, if you see something… say something, okay?

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