Defining sexual assault where acquaintances are involved: Exploring commonalities and differences

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Abstract
Despite twenty years of lobbying and debate, there remain numerous grey areas in the definition and therefore the reporting of sexual assault. The focus of this Australian study is on the commonalities and differences that arise from women's and men's definitions of sexual assault where acquaintances are involved. Six true vignettes involving problematic contexts were the basis of questionnaire responses and focus group discussions for 104 participants comprising six social categories: young, middle aged and older women; non-anglophone women; feminists; and males. The beliefs of the latter four groups challenged, in various ways, the young and middle-aged women's underlying assumption that women can negotiate sex meaningfully with men. Key issues identified include the degree of coercion that is acceptable and the amount of blame attributed to the women, given the context of important generational differences of perception. The feminists also debated whether to adopt a definition of assault highlighting women's feelings or one that was narrower and more easily enforced.

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