The Women's Center

Sexual Assault

Recovery from rape can be hard, but *it* is possible. Our rape crisis advocates can help you make decisions about your options. They can tell you what exactly will happen, how it might feel, and how to cope. They are here to help YOU. They do not charge for their services, and they will not tell anyone about what happened to you.

Please call our 24-hour hotline at 1-800-334-2094, or 618-529-2324.

• What is Rape?
• Criminal Sexual Assault
• Criminal Sexual Abuse

This section discusses the crime of sexual assault from the perspective of Illinois law. If you do not live in Illinois, please contact your local rape crisis center for specific information concerning your state's laws governing this crime. We can help you locate a center near you. The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, RAINN, can provide information, too, at www.rainn.org or by calling 1-800-656-HOPE.

Sexual assault law in Illinois covers a range of crimes from misdemeanors to felonies. Punishment ranges from probation to 30 or more years in prison. The basic offenses are:

• criminal sexual assault (click here for more information)
• criminal sexual abuse (click here for more information)

(There are other sex crimes based on the two basic offenses, with different penalties as well, such as Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, and Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child.)

What is Rape? The state of Illinois recognizes that any type of sexual activity without consent is criminal (720 ILCS 5/12-12 to 5/12-16).

According to Illinois law:

• both women and men can be raped
• the rapist can be male or female
• if the rapist touched or penetrated you, or forced you to touch him/her in any way without consent, it is illegal
• it doesn't matter what you were wearing during the attack-dressing in a certain way doesn't mean you gave your consent
• you can change your mind about having sex at any time; if you want to stop whatever sexual activity is happening, it should stop immediately
• ''consent'' means agreeing to sex of your own free will; it doesn't mean that you submitted because you were threatened or forced

What is criminal sexual assault?

According to Illinois law:

• criminal sexual assault ''is an act of sexual penetration when the accused uses force or threat of force, or knew that the victim was unable to give knowing consent'' this could apply if the victim was drunk
• defines ''sexual penetration'' as ''any contact, however slight, between the sex organ or anus of one person by an object, the sex organ, mouth or anus of another person, or any intrusion, however slight, of any part of the body of one person or of any animal or object into the sex organ or anus of another person, including, but not limited to cunnilingus, fellatio or anal penetration. Evidence of emission of semen is not required to proved sexual penetration'' (720 ILCS 5/12-13).

What is criminal sexual abuse?

According to Illinois law:

• criminal sexual abuse ''is an act of sexual conduct when the accused uses force or threat of force, or knew that the victim was unable to give knowing consent.''
• defines ''sexual conduct'' as ''any intentional or knowing touching or fondling by the victim or the accused, either directly or through clothing, of the sex organ, anus or breast of the victim or the accused... or any transfer or transmission or semen by the accused upon any part of the clothed or unclothed body of the victim, for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal of the victim or the accused'' (720 ILCS 5/12-15).

To access any of the above services, please call the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-334-2094, or 618-529-2324.