The person who commits the sexual assault is always responsible for their actions, no matter what the situation. If you have been sexually assaulted, it is never your fault.

Girls and young women are not sexually assaulted because of what they wear, because they were flirting or because they “led the guy on.” These excuses are called “rape myths” – they are called myths because they are not true.

Other rape myths include the following:

Myth: “Men who rape have a stronger or uncontrollable sex drive so they just can’t help themselves.”
The Truth: This is just an excuse used to justify sexual assault. Sexual assault is not about the aggressor’s “uncontrollable sex drive” – there is no such thing. The rapist makes a conscious decision to use power and control to assault the victim.

Myth: “Only certain types of men from certain social or racial groups commit sexual assault.”
The Truth: In fact, studies have shown that men who sexually assault are “normal” – ordinary people from all walks of life and all socio-cultural groups.

Myth: “If there’s no violence or physical force then it’s not sexual assault.”
The Truth: Often, the victim is threatened and feels too fearful to struggle or fight back. In many cases, intimidation is all it takes to make the victim give in because the person who is sexually assaulting has power and authority over the victim. Sometimes date rape drugs are used in sexual assaults, making it impossible for the victim to fight back.

Myth: “Women lie about rape in order to cover up the fact that they’ve had consensual sex.”
The Truth: Sexual assault remains an under-reported, not an over-reported, crime. In fact, most sexual assaults are never reported. It is very difficult to come forward and report a sexual assault to the police – so it’s not likely that many women do so untruthfully.

Myth: “A married man can’t rape his own wife. He has the right to demand sex.”
The Truth: When a man forces his wife to have sex, it is considered rape. In fact, rape in marriage or marriage-like relationships is one of the most overlooked forms of sexual assault. It is not uncommon.

The law in Canada recognizes that any unwanted sexual act without consent is a sexual assault.