Although sexual violence can be committed by someone the victim does not know, in fact, many situations of sexual violence are committed by someone known and close to the victim.

Sexual violence can be perpetrated by different people:

• by someone unknown to the victim;
• by someone known to the victim, for example, a colleague from work or a neighbour;
• by someone close to the victim, for example, a relative, a friend or a (ex) boyfriend/girlfriend;
• by someone responsible for providing care, supervision or education to the victim, for example, professionals working in healthcare or education, etc;
• …

Sexual violence can also take place in different relationships, such as:

• intimate relationships such as dating, marriage or unmarried partnerships;
• within family relationships;
• in friendships;
• in occasional relationships (the so-called “one-night stand”);
• in formal or professional relationships, for example, with work colleagues;
• in the absence of any previous relationship (when the sexual violence is committed by someone unknown to the victim or with whom the victim had never had a relationship);
• …