Title: Risk Factors | Sexual Assault | INSPQ
Headings: Risk Factors
Risk Factors
A word of caution on the interpretation of risk factors
Factors associated with an increased risk of being sexually abused during childhood (0-18 years of age)
References

Content: Risk Factors | Sexual Assault | INSPQ
Risk Factors
Risk factors for sexual assault are conditions, circumstances or characteristics associated with an individual or his or her environment that increase the likelihood of the individual becoming a perpetrator or a victim of sexual assault. The presence of one or more risk factors is not a cause of sexual assault, but it can increase the risk that sexual assault will occur. 1
Various individual, relationship, community and societal factors are associated with an increased risk that a child or an adult will become a victim of sexual assault. A number of factors have also been identified as being associated with an increased risk of committing sexual assault. 2,3
The greater the number of sexual assault risk factors, the greater is the likelihood that a person will be a perpetrator or a victim of sexual assault. 2 However, the influence of a particular risk factor can vary depending on a person’s gender and stage of life. 2
Identifying risk factors helps to better plan preventive interventions in the area of sexual assault by making it possible to target higher-risk groups and act on the risk factors concerned. A word of caution on the interpretation of risk factors
Victims are not responsible for being sexually assaulted. However, certain characteristics can make a person more vulnerable to sexual assault. Individual risk factors must not serve to blame people who have been victimized, but to prevent sexual assault by helping to target people who are at greater risk and to act on the factors concerned.