Information

Sexual violence is an umbrella term. This means it covers many different types of behaviour and situations. 

• Sexual assault
  Sexual assault involves the perpetrator forcing someone – whether physically or by other means – into sexual activity without their consent. This may be a physical activity, but it doesn’t need to be. For example, forcing someone to witness a sexual act is sexual assault, as is engaging in unwanted sexual contact or rape. 
  
  Some examples of sexual assault are:
  1. Non-consensual penetration or attempted penetration, generally referred to as rape (using force or the threat of force to insert a penis or object in the vagina, anus, or mouth)
  2. Attempted non-consensual penetration (attempted rape)
  3. Non-consensual sexual touching, such as touching someone’s breasts, crotch, or bottom, or kissing, fondling, or rubbing up against someone in a sexual way.
  

• Dating violence
  Dating violence refers to sexual assault in the context of a romantic, social, or intimate relationship. This includes, for example, situations involving married couples, first dates, casual sex partners, and friends.

• Domestic violence
  Domestic violence covers any kind of violence by someone who shares your living space. That includes sexual violence. 

• Sexual harassment
  Sexual harassment refers to sexually loaded advances and behaviour that the person it is directed towards experiences as unwanted and intimidating. Often, this is behaviour that makes you feel unsafe – for example because it is humiliating, insulting, or hurtful. It can include both things that people say (verbal harassment) and things that they do (non-verbal harassment). 
  
  For example, verbal sexual harassment might involve someone:
  1. Making dirty jokes or sexually loaded comments about you
  2. Asking you invasive questions about your sex life, such as whether or not you’re a virgin
  3. Telling you an explicit story about their own sex life
  4. Making sexual comments on your social media posts
  5. Calling you a slut or a whore
  6. Pushing or provoking you into talking about sexual matters
  7. Pressing you for romantic dates or hookups, even after you have said no
   
  Non-verbal sexual harassment could involve someone, for example:
  1. Messaging you sexual images
  2. Using social media to spread sexually loaded content
  3. Making suggestive gestures as you walk by
  4. Giving you a shoulder massage without warning
  5. Standing too close behind you
   
• Street harassment
  Street harassment is a form of sexual harassment that takes place in a public space. It can result in the target feeling anxious or afraid to visit certain places.
  
  A few examples are someone:
  1. Cat-calling or whistling at you
  2. Following you without your permission
  3. Exposing their genitals publicly

• Stalking (online and offline)

  
  Thanks to the impression given by movies and other media, the term stalker may conjure up an image of a “creep” lying outside your house and watching you with binoculars. Or you might imagine someone calling you repeatedly and hanging up without saying anything (a “heavy breather”). In reality, the situation may be less clear-cut.
  
  The definition of stalking as it relates to sexual violence is “the continual harassment of an individual, whether online or offline, in a way that includes a sexual element”. The situations described above come under that definition, but so do other circumstances. It is often the case that people are stalked by someone close to them, like a friend or partner.  In these situations, it can be difficult for victims/survivors to demonstrate to others that the perpetrator’s behaviour amounts to stalking. An observer might interpret someone sending a note as sweet and innocent behaviour, when it’s actually intimidating. 

  
  
  There are other types of stalking as well. For example, you may have had an enjoyable conversation on Tinder with someone who becomes pushy after you share your number, or you might be repeatedly added to group chats featuring sexual content.
  
  Stalking may also include behaviours such as: 
  1. Gathering personal information about someone, for example by going through their personal belongings, searching the internet, or contacting people who know them
  2. Damaging or threatening to damage someone’s belongings
  3. Gifting someone unwanted presents or other items
  4. Spreading rumours about someone, whether online or in person
  5. Making unwanted contact with someone in a pushy manner, whether offline (by post or telephone) or online (via email, social media, or apps)
   

• Photos and videos
  Passing on or sharing any sexually loaded “content” without your consent is a kind of sexual violence. This might happen, for example, in the context of group chats where intimate, sexual, or inappropriate messages or media are shared. This category also includes things like deepfakes, secret voice recordings, and blackmail. 

Current legislation does not specifically use the term “sexual violence”. This is because not every form of sexual violence is punishable by law. The forms of sexual violence that are included under criminal law are referred to as “sexual offences”.

Want to learn more about:

• What you can and are allowed to do after experiencing sexually inappropriate behaviour?
• Ways in which a victim/survivor may respond to an inappropriate sexual experience
• Possible effects of a sexually inappropriate experience
• Sexual offences and Dutch law (new legislation effective from 1 July 2024)
   

Then visit the Canvas course on Sexual Safety.

As we can see, good consent goes beyond just saying “yes”. Enthusiastic ongoing mutual consent describes the conditions necessary for giving and requesting consent:

• Consent is ongoing and reversible: You can change your mind about what you have consented to at any time.
• Consent is freely given: You are not saying yes just to avoid (implicit or explicit) negative consequences, or because you feel pressured. 
• Consent is enthusiastic: Neither party has any doubts or fears about their own or their partner’s consent.
• Consent is mutual: You both consent to the interaction.
• Consent is specific: For example, you might say “can I kiss you?” instead of “shall we go further?”

Want to learn more about consent, boundaries, desires, and how to ask for permission? Then visit the Canvas cursus Seksuele Veiligheid.

For more information on sexual health and the GGD, you can also refer to the Canvas course

In 2021, two hundred Amnesty International activists took action to raise awareness of the need to combat sexual assault among students. The Let’s Talk About Yes campaign called on higher education institutions to sign the LTAY manifesto against sexual assault.

The campaign and manifesto were responses to the findings of research into sexual assault among students by Amnesty International. The research showed that a large percentage of Dutch students are confronted with the issue. It also became apparent that many students don’t know where to turn for help within their academic institutions. The goal of the campaign was to start a conversation with higher education providers and create awareness. 

The LTAY manifesto was the first step towards achieving this. The manifesto lays out steps that education providers must take to increase sexual safety. These steps include introducing prevention measures, providing support to students, and ensuring appropriate processes. Maastricht University became a signatory of the manifesto in Autumn 2021. 

If you would like to learn more about Maastricht University and the Let’s Talk About Yes campaign, take a look at this page or this news article from UM. You can also read more about the campaign at Amnesty’s page here. If the topic interests you, you can also download Amnesty’s report on Dutch attitudes to rape.