Myths & Facts

Common facts and myths about the causes of sexual violence
  1. Myth: Only women are victims, and only men are perpetrators.
    Fact: Anyone, regardless of their gender, can experience or commit acts of sexual violence, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
  2. Myth: Sexual violence only happens between people of different genders.
    Fact: Gender-based violence, including sexual assault and dating violence, can occur between people of any gender, including those of the same gender.
  3. Myth: Only the person directly targeted is impacted by the violence.
    Fact: Bystanders, friends, and family members who witness or are aware of the harm can also experience emotional distress and trauma.
  4. Myth: Sexual violence always involves physical force or touching.
    Fact: Gender-based violence doesn’t always involve physical contact. It can include threats, coercion, verbal abuse, financial abuse, or unwanted attention that causes fear or harm.
  5. Myth: Violence has to be verbal to count.
    Fact: Gender-based violence can include non-verbal actions, such as stalking, controlling behaviors, and unwanted surveillance.
  6. Myth: If it’s a compliment, it can’t be considered violence.
    Fact: Even seemingly flattering behavior can be harmful if it’s unwelcome, threatening, or intended to control or intimidate.
  7. Myth: It’s just a joke, so it’s not harmful.
    Fact: Jokes or comments, even if meant to be funny, can contribute to a hostile environment and can be part of a pattern of abuse.
  8. Myth: Violence that happens off-campus doesn’t matter.
    Fact: Gender-based violence, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, can impact the campus community even if it happens off-campus, especially if it involves students or staff.
  9. Myth: Sexual violence is always about wanting sex.
    Fact: Sexual violence and harassment is often about exerting power, control, and dominance rather than sexual attraction or desire.
  10. Myth: Ignoring abusive behavior will make it stop.
    Fact: Ignoring violence, whether it’s stalking, abusive behavior in a relationship, harassment, or any other form, usually doesn’t make it go away and may even lead to escalation.
  11. Myth: Violence only happens when there’s a clear power imbalance, like between a boss and an employee.
    Fact: Gender-based violence can happen in any relationship, including between peers, friends, or partners, regardless of their positions or power dynamics.
  12. Myth: Acts of violence have to happen repeatedly to be taken seriously.
    Fact: A single act of violence, such as an assault or a severe threat, can be just as harmful and serious as repeated actions.

Additional Myths

  1. Myth: People provoke violence by their appearance or behavior.
    Fact: No one ever asks for or deserves violence against them. The responsibility for any form of violence always lies with the person committing it.
  2. Myth: If someone doesn’t report violence immediately, it must not have been serious.
    Fact: Many people delay reporting violence due to fear, confusion, or lack of support. The timing of a report does not diminish the seriousness of the violence.
  3. Myth: If no one else sees it, it’s not real.
    Fact: Violence often occurs in private, and the absence of witnesses doesn’t make the experience any less valid or serious.
  4. Myth: Saying sorry makes the violence okay.
    Fact: Apologies don’t undo the harm caused by gender-based violence. It’s the actions and the impact that matter, not the intention or the apology after.
  5. Myth: People who feel affected by sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, stalking or harassment are often overreacting.
    Fact: Everyone’s reaction to sexual violence is valid. Feelings of fear, discomfort, or distress are real and should always be respected and taken seriously.