Myths about sexual violence motivate and fuel violence, and influence negative societal reactions to people who have been sexually assaulted. These myths serve to deny, trivialize or justify sexual violence against women.

Myth 1:  People lie about being sexually assaulted to gain attention or seek revenge:

The number of false reports of sexual assault is very low and is consistent with the number of false reports for other crimes in Canada. Sexual assault carries such stigma that many survivors prefer not to report. Only 2-8% of sexual assault claims are false reports.

Myth 2:  It wasn’t sexual assault because the person didn’t report it to the police

Just because a survivor doesn’t report the sexual assault does not mean that it didn’t happen. There are many reasons that survivors do not report, one of the main reasons is the fear of not being believed.

Myth 3:  It is not sexual violence if the partners are in a relationship

Incorrect, sexual violence can occur within an intimate partner relationship or a marriage.

Myth 4:  I can’t be responsible for sexually assaulting someone if I was intoxicated

False

Myth 5: Men can’t be sexually assaulted

False! 1 in 6 Canadian men will experience sexual violence in their lifetime.

Myth 6: Sexual Assault can be an accident

Sometimes sexual assaults are attributed to miscommunication.  According to this myth, the perpetrator received "mixed messages" and didn't know the person was not consenting. This myth makes consent seem confusing and places the ownness of communicating consent on the victim. It is up to the person pursuing intimacy to obtain consent!

Myth 7: If it really happened, the person would be able to remember what happened clearly

The trauma caused by sexual violence impairs our memory. Many survivors cope by trying to minimize or avoid what happened. Also, memory loss is common if drugs or alcohol were involved.

(Information Adapted from www.consented.ca)