What are the 3 Ds of Sexual Assault?

The “Three Ds” of sexual assault refer to a method for preventing sexual assault if a bystander witnesses a situation that they feel could lead to non-consensual sexual activity.

The term derives from bystander intervention training and is used to create greater awareness and preparedness for people who witness possible sexual assaults, especially in high-risk environments. 

For instance, the 3Ds of sexual assault are often promoted on university campuses to help bystanders, such as students, faculty, and staff intervene in potentially harmful situations or awkward situations. 

Let’s find out more about what the term means…

The 3 Ds of sexual assault

Sexual assault prevention has traditionally focused on the perpetrators and victims of the crime. But recent years have seen a growing recognition that many sexual assaults can be prevented if people who suspect something is wrong intervene to prevent it.

The recognition that often people don’t know what to do or say when confronted with difficult scenarios involving potential sexual violence has prompted greater attention to helping third parties intervene if they observe warning signs that something’s wrong.

Different bystanders behave differently in stressful situations but turning a blind eye is not considered acceptable if you sense something is wrong. The 3 Ds provide a framework that almost any bystander can use effectively to intervene in a situation as tactfully as possible.

The 3 Ds stand for:

• Direct: if a person feels comfortable doing so, he/she can adopt a direct approach. For instance, if a man in a bar is seen leaving with a young lady who looks drunk, the direct approach would be to go up to the lady and say something like, “I’m a bit concerned. Do you need a ride home?”. This at least provides the lady with the option of opting out.
• Delegate: many bystanders are not comfortable using the direct approach, so the second D is to delegate. In this situation, delegating means locating the friends of the person who might be in danger or contacting a staff member (or even the police).
• Distract: the third way of preventing sexual assault is to distract the suspected perpetrator. In the previous example of a man leaving with a drunk lady, a bystander could distract the man by saying, “Hey, your car is getting towed” or going over and spilling a drink on the man. While he’s distracted (outside or in the bathroom), friends can intervene and take the lady home.

It should be remembered that the consent laws in Canada mean that there are instances where consent cannot be given under any circumstances. These may include:

• If the person is aged under 16 (and the person involved in sexual activity with that person is more than either 2 or 5 years older depending on the age of the victim).
• If the person is under the control or authority of another person who uses that authority to induce sexual contact.
• If the person is unconscious.
• If the person is too drunk to provide consent.

If you observe that someone appears unsafe or unable to give consent, the 3 Ds of sexual assault may help you actively address the situation.

Other potential ways to prevent sexual assault

It is widely believed that incidences of sexual assault can be prevented with greater awareness of the topic. This has already started with high-profile cases in the media but, at the “grassroots” level, the decision-makers in high-risk environments for sexual assault could do more. This includes administrators at educational, leisure, sports, and religious facilities, as well as owners and staff of bars and clubs.

Decision-makers in such environments should consider the following:

• Making prevention a priority: if this is made clear, people will feel duty-bound to do more to prevent sexual violence.
• Talking about sexual violence: the days of sweeping the problem under the carpet should be long gone and the topic needs to be confronted openly, as difficult as that may be.
• Provide assurances for victims: administrators must ensure that victims of sexual assault can feel confident that they will be protected and supported if they speak up.
• Enforce policies: once policies are introduced to prevent sexual assault from occurring, these should be enforced and made a part of everyday working life in the facility.

Dealing with sexual assault charges in Calgary

While it’s true that incidences of sexual assault are under-reported in Alberta, it’s also true that some defendants are wrongly accused of sexual assault. Misunderstandings and false allegations do, unfortunately, occur.

To speak with Cory Wilson about a sexual assault charge or arrange a free, no-obligation consultation with Wilson Criminal Defence, call 403-978-6052 or email us here.