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sexual assault

sexual assault

119 5.7
Unwanted sexual contact or activity often involving force
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛkʃuəl əˈsɔlt/
  • NSFW
translation icon : agresión sexual
  • The police are investigating several reports of sexual assault in the area.
  • sexual assault and rape
  • victims of sexual assault
  • sexual assault and abuse

Now you've set your your sights on sexual assault on college campuses.

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Examples

  • My school has had multiple sexual assault scandals.

  • Up to one in seven boys experiences child sexual assault before the age of 16.

    Blog text (4)
  • There has to be some sort of sexual assault involved in this.

  • I think this might have been sexual assault.

  • So there is actually a law in France against sexual assault and sexual harassment.

  • A lot of women are are survivors of sexual assault and things like that.

  • Did the possibility of sexual assault ever enter your minds?

  • I want to send a message to every survivor of sexual assault.

  • If you were a victim of sexual assault, we would absolutely keep your anonymity.

  • The disbelief around issues of sexual assault has now become part of the presidential election.

Synonyms

sexual abuse
vssexual assault
  • NSFW
91 5.7

Force or trick someone into sex they do not want

focuses more on contact and criminal nature than on manipulation methods
molestation
vssexual assault
  • Offensive
42 9.1

Unwanted sexual touching or actions toward another person, often a child

is a broader criminal term covering contact and force beyond improper advances
sex crime
vssexual assault
  • NSFW
22 6.6

An illegal sexual act done without the other person's agreement, often using force or threats

stresses unwanted contact rather than statutory labels
sex offense
vssexual assault
  • NSFW
4 7.7

A crime in which someone forces another person to have sex against their will

focuses on unwanted contact, especially with force or threat

Antonyms

consent
  • Formal
344 3.2

Permission for something to happen, often given in writing

How Severe

to rape
  • Offensive
690 5.3
sexual assault
  • NSFW
119 5.7
sexual harassment
  • Offensive
377 4.6
misconduct
  • Formal
131 4.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

sexual + assault

The meaning is directly compositional: 'sexual' (pertaining to sex) modifies 'assault' (a physical or criminal attack), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer an attack of a sexual nature. This adjective+noun pattern is straightforward and common cross-linguistically, though precise legal nuances may require context.

Etymology

The term sexual assault combines sexual (about sex) and assault (an attack). It pictures an unwanted sexual attack, so today it means 'unwanted sexual contact or violence'.