Current timestamp: 06/02/2023 12:58:23
AgeAlertAnonymousAppealsApplicationsApply Or RegisterArea OutlineArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow UpAutomatic DoorsBack ArrowBusinessCalendarCashArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow Down[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-chrome' for 'English (United Kingdom)']ClockCloseContactDirectionsDocumentDownloadDrawDrugExpandExternal LinkFacebookFb CommentFb LikeFiletype DefaultFiletype DocFiletype PdfFiletype PptFiletype XlsFinance[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-firefox' for 'English (United Kingdom)']First AidFlickrFraudGive FeedbackGlobeGuide DogHealthHearing ImpairedInduction LoopInfoInstagramIntercom[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-internet-explorer' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LaptopLiftLinkedinLocal ActivityLoudspeakerLow CounterMailMapMap PinMembershipMenuMenu 2[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-microsoft-edge' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Missing PeopleMobility ImpairmentNationalityNorth PointerOne Mile RadiusOverviewPagesPaper PlaneParkingPdfPhonePinterestPlayPushchairRefreshReportRequestRestart[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-rotate-clockwise' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Rss[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-safari' for 'English (United Kingdom)']SearchShareSign LanguageSnapchatStart AgainStatsStats And Prevention AdviceStopSubscribeTargetTattosTell Us AboutTickTumblrTwenty Four HoursTwitterTwitter LikeTwitter ReplyTwitter RetweetUploadVisually ImpairedWhatsappWheelchairWheelchair AssistedWheelchair ParkingWheelchair RampWheelchair WcYoutubeZoom InZoom Out

Quickly exit this site by pressing the Escape key Leave this site

Skip to main content

Skip to main navigation

Welcome

This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.

Show me the site

Derbyshire Constabulary logo

Search this website

Main navigation menu

  • Report

    Back to Report

    • Crime
    • Domestic abuse
    • Rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences
    • Road traffic incident
    • Report antisocial behaviour
    • Missing person
    • Fraud, bribery or corruption
    • Civil disputes
    • Lost or found property
    • Lost or stolen vehicles
  • Tell us about

    Back to Tell us about

    • Tell us about possible terrorist activity
    • How to tell us about something you've seen or heard
    • An existing case or report
    • An event or procession
    • Filming
    • Abnormal vehicle load
  • Apply or register

    Back to Apply or register

    • Careers
    • Charity collection licences
    • Compensation for victims of crime
    • Firearm, shotgun or explosives certificate
    • Attend a misconduct hearing
  • Request

    Back to Request

    • A collision report
    • Intellectual property (IP) licence
    • Request your fingerprints
    • Information: about the police, about yourself or someone else
  • Thanks and complaints

    Back to Thanks and complaints

    • Complaints
    • Say thanks
    • Feedback about the website
  • Your area

Breadcrumb

  1. ...
  2. News

Domestic Abuse - What is sexual abuse and how you can seek help

Main article content

Navigation

News

18:39 03/12/2019

Many people are aware of sexual abuse and violence outside of the domestic setting – but it is sadly far too often a too difficult a subject for many to talk about when it happens within a relationship.

And not only is it sometime too difficult to talk about but people do not understand where crimes are committed, specifically within a marriage.

What is sexual abuse?

For many sexual abuse is limited to the types of offence that make news headlines – from stranger rapes to the sexual abuse committed by those is positions of trust.

However, there are a whole range of behaviours within a domestic setting that can constitute sexual abuse.

These can be, but not limited to:

  • rape
  • deliberately causing pain during sex
  • assaulting the genitals
  • forced sex without protection against pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • forcing someone to perform sexual acts
  • using sexually degrading insults
  • unwanted touching
  • unwanted exposure to pornography
  • withholding sex as punishment
  • using sex to coerce compliance

Rape within marriage

A survey in 2018 reported that a quarter of the 4,000 people surveyed did not believe that non-consensual sex within marriage was illegal.

And while that was the case for many years the offence was explicitly laid out as a criminal act in the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

The definition of consent does not change whether you are in a relationship or not - and it is absolutely essential all parties are clear that they wish to participate in any sexual acts.

Definition of Consent

“If they agree by choice, and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice”

This can be broken down into two considerations:

  • Whether they had the capacity to make a choice about whether or not to take part in the sexual activity at the time in question. By capacity, this can mean whether they were old enough, whether they were intoxicated, or whether they had the mental capacity to choose (having learning difficulties for example.)
  • Whether they were in a position to make that choice freely, and they were not constrained in any way. This means without physical or mental coercion of any kind.

What to do if you are a victim or are concerned about a friend, loved one or colleague?

If you are a victim of sexual assault, either within or outside a relationship, recently or non-recently, then you can report this to your local police force on 999 or the 101 non-emergency number.

Specialist officers within the force, trained to provide support to victims of rape, sexual violence and sexual abuse, will be provided to you if you report an incident. However, you may also wish to take advantage of independent support from groups such as SV2 - https://www.sv2.org.uk/ - which offer counselling, support groups and Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (known as ISVAs) to victims.

The charity also offers an advice line and resources for victims, or those who may be concerned about friend, relative or colleague.

How to keep internet activity secret

Sexual abuse within a relationship may form part of wider abuse behaviour an element of which may include the abuser checking your phone or computer.

If you are accessing support websites then this is best done on a computer that the abuser does not have access to, at work or a local library for instance.

However, if this is not possible then you can find out how to how to keep you internet activity secret and how to delete websites and searches from your computer here: https://www.reducingtherisk.org.uk/cms/content/internet-safety

Share

Is there a problem with this page?

Footer navigation

We use cookies on this site to give you a better, more personalised experience.

I'm fine with cookies I'd like to manage the cookies

Derbyshire Constabulary

  • Contact us
  • Find a police station
  • News
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Campaigns
  • Privacy notice
  • Cookies
  • Terms and conditions
  • Accessibility

Information and services

  • Advice and information
  • Crime prevention
  • Stats and data
  • Accessing information (FOI)
  • Report
  • Tell us about
  • Apply or register
  • Request
  • Thanks and complaints

Partners

  • Partner services
  • Police.uk
  • Ask the Police
  • Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service

Follow us on

© Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.