News Summary

• “In the case of a sexual assault, they may be thinking, ‘No, I don’t want this to be happening,’” yet they also feel absent from their own mind, and can physically freeze or be unable to speak, Saltz said..
• In the past, someone would come forward to try to prosecute and the defense would say they didn’t scream or do something, so they must have wanted it or been OK with it — this implication that freezing has anything to do with consent is incorrect..
• “The evolutionary purpose is to not further inflame the perpetrator to commit more violence upon you.” Despite the simple explanation for freezing, the question “Why didn’t they fight back?” is still all too common, discrediting victims of sexual assault, Saltz added..
• Consent is the verbal “Yes, I wish to do this act with you” or a clear physical “Yes, I want this.” Physical consent looks like active, excited participation, not passive reception of what someone’s doing to you..
• If you don’t think you need clear verbal or physical consent, the freeze response could be misinterpreted as consent..
• For additional resources for healing from sexual assault, understanding consent and more, visit the website of the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization..