Sexual violence is a serious public health issue affecting millions of adults and children in the United States. Sexual assault is a crime of sexual violence that encompasses any non-consensual sexual activity, including sexual coercion, contact abuse (unwanted kissing, touching, or fondling), the intentional removal or damaging of a condom during sex (“stealthing”), and rape.
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) supports the rights of survivors of a sexual assault, sexual violence, and all sexual crimes. The AAFP supports protection from their perpetrator(s), predator(s), and sex offender(s). This includes protection from re-victimization as it may relate to the use of custody or visitation lawsuits for offspring conceived during the illegal act. Rights include protection from the use of incarceration to compel testimony from survivors of sexual assault. The AAFP calls for prioritization of the survivor’s well-being and emphasizes the need for compassionate treatment of survivors within the criminal justice system and during the recovery process. The AAFP supports a legal framework that codifies these rights and protections.
(2015 COD) (2020 COD)