Victims of Sexual Assault (4:V)

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A. What is Sexual Assault?

Any sexual contact which occurs without the consent of all the people involved is sexual assault. Sexual assault ranges from unwanted touching of a sexual nature to forced sexual intercourse. It can occur anywhere – at school, at work, in a public place or at home. Sexual assault can occur between strangers or those who know each other well, including those who are married. Sexual assault is most often committed by those known to the victim, such as family members, acquaintances or people in positions of trust or authority over the victim.

If you have been in any of the following situations, you may have been a victim of sexual assault:

  • you have been physically touched in a sexual manner by another person which was not wanted
  • your words or actions indicated that you did not want to have or continue sexual contact, but the sexual contact continued
  • you submitted to sexual contact because someone threatened or used force on you
  • you were not able to give consent to sexual contact (for example, you were drugged, impaired, or have a disability)
  • someone persuaded you to have sexual contact by using their position of authority or power over you

Legal age of consent The legal age of consent to sexual activity is 16. However, there are “close in age” exceptions for youth as young as 12 years old. A 12 or 13-year-old may consent to sexual activity with a partner who is less than two years older than them given that there is no relationship of trust, authority, dependency, or other exploitation. Similarly, a 14 or 15-year-old may consent to sexual activity with a partner who is less than five years older than them if there is no relationship of trust, authority, dependency, or other exploitation. Then, the following table can be tabulated:

Legal Age of Consent by Partner's Age vs. Youth's Age

12 13 14 15 16
12 ٧ ٧ ٧ x x
13 ٧ ٧ ٧ ٧ x
14 ٧ ٧ ٧ ٧ ٧
15 x ٧ ٧ ٧ ٧
16 x x ٧ ٧ ٧
17 x x ٧ ٧ ٧
18 x x ٧ ٧ ٧
19 x x ٧ ٧ ٧
20 x x x ٧ ٧
21 x x x x ٧
22 x x x x ٧
This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by the Law Students' Legal Advice Program on August 10, 2020.
© Copyright 2023, The Greater Vancouver Law Students' Legal Advice Society.