Sexual Assault Awareness Month: 5 Things You Should Know About Sexual Violence

April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a moment to stand with survivors, confront harmful norms, and spotlight the systemic issues that enable sexual violence to persist across the globe. At Equality Now, we work with survivors, legal experts, and civil society partners to uncover the legal gaps that deny justice and perpetuate impunity.

Here are five things everyone should know about sexual violence today:

1. Rape laws in many countries are inadequate and inconsistent

In too many legal systems, rape is not defined based on consent, but rather on whether there was physical force, threats, or resistance. This narrow definition can exclude a range of violations, especially those involving coercion, power imbalance, or vulnerability. Survivors are often required to prove they fought back, a standard that puts the burden of proof on survivors and emboldens perpetrators.

In Africa, our recent analysis found that 25 countries have definitions of rape that are incomplete or non-compliant with international and regional standards, while many others fail to criminalize marital rape or recognize non-vaginal penetration as rape​.

2. Survivors are pressured into silence

Social stigma, fear of retaliation, and deep-rooted patriarchal norms mean many survivors never report sexual violence. For those who do, the path to justice is often obstructed by disbelief, victim-blaming, or outright inaction from authorities–barriers are even greater for survivors with disabilities, 40% and 68% of whom experience sexual violence before the age of eighteen.

In South Asia, survivors shared how bribery, delays, and extralegal settlements were routine, pushing many to abandon their cases entirely​.

3. The legal system often revictimizes survivors

From invasive medical practices such as the discredited “two-finger test” to rules that admit a survivor’s sexual history in court, survivors are routinely retraumatized by the justice process. Even when laws exist to protect them, poor implementation and lack of training lead to impunity.

In Latin America, laws such as estupro allow rapists to receive lighter sentences if they claim the victim was seduced rather than violated, undermining justice for adolescent girls​.

4. Conflict and crisis increase vulnerability

Sexual violence spikes in times of conflict, crisis, and displacement, yet justice systems often collapse just when they’re needed most. Survivors of conflict-related sexual violence frequently never receive justice.

In Ethiopia, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, sexual violence has been used systematically as a weapon of war. But investigations and prosecutions remain rare​.

5. Legal reform is a welcome first step

Ending sexual violence requires more than just laws, we need good implementation of those laws as well as resources, training, survivor support, and political will. Governments must align national laws with international human rights standards, remove discriminatory provisions, and build systems that put survivors at the center.

Explore our resources on sexual violence 

Now Is the Time for Change

Sexual Assault Awareness Month is more than a commemoration, it’s a call to action. At Equality Now, we’re pushing for legal frameworks that recognize consent, eliminate loopholes, and hold perpetrators accountable, no matter who they are. We call on decision-makers, civil society leaders, legal professionals,  academics, and allies to amplify survivor voices, challenge harmful laws, and commit to lasting reform.