Ōtepoti Collective Against Sexual Abuse (ŌCASA)
03-474 1592
Dunbar House, 21 Dunbar Street Dunedin
9AM - 5PM - Weekdays
So What Actually Is Rape?
People’s attitudes to rape are very different. These attitudes lie anywhere on the following continuum.
Broad View |
What the Law Says |
Narrow View |
Rape is any act of sexual violation |
Rape is penetration of a person's genitalia by a penis when that person doesn’t want it |
Rape only happens violently in dark, deserted streets |
All sexual attention that is not wanted is a part of rape |
Any other forms of sexual violation are not rape, but unlawful sexual connection |
Rapists do not know the people they attack |
The narrow view comes from a lot of misunderstanding about rape. The broad view extends rape beyond the legal definition. This broad view acknowledges that rape is not always physically violent.
New Zealand legislation defines rape in the following way:
Person A rapes person B if person A has sexual connection with person B, effected by the penetration of person B’s genitalia by person A’s penis:
(a) without person B’s consent to the connection; and
(b) without believing on reasonable grounds that person B consents to the connection.
Rape may also include:
New Zealand legislation defines rape in the following way:
Person A rapes person B if person A has sexual connection with person B, effected by the penetration of person B’s genitalia by person A’s penis:
(a) without person B’s consent to the connection; and
(b) without believing on reasonable grounds that person B consents to the connection.
Rape may also include:
- Forced or coerced oral sex
- Forced or coerced masturbation
- Penetration with objects
- Forced or coerced anal sex
- Across-gender or same-gender sexual abuse e.g. female-on-male, male-on-male, female-on-female, male-on-female.
False Beliefs About Rape
- If a person did not physically resist or say no then it wasn’t rape
- Rape would not happen if people did not dress seductively
- Only young, attractive people are sexually assaulted
- Only strangers rape
- A person cannot be raped by their spouse or partner
- It wasn’t really rape if the survivor was drinking, it was just regretful sex.
NONE OF THESE BELIEFS ARE TRUE.
Truths About Rape
- Sometimes resisting can prevent sexual assault, but it can also increase physical violence
- The way people dress has very little to do with who is assaulted
- All people are at risk, young or old
- Relatives and friends are just as capable of rape. Most survivors know their attacker
- A person can be raped by their spouse or partner. That person has a right to say “no” and the law recognises this right
- Drinking doesn’t cause rape. Perpetrators do.
Rape is the misuse and abuse of power. Rape is a crime which can take away your dignity and self-determination. Rape can have profound and long-term effects on your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.
Is Rape Always Clear Cut? |
What Is Sexual Assault? |
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Location
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Address
Dunbar House
21 Dunbar Street Centre City, Dunedin 9016 PO Box 5424, Dunedin |
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