When assessing for a history of sexual assault and abuse keep in mind that clients often have a somewhat skewed sense of what those terms mean. Many people associate sexual abuse only with the act of intercourse or penetration. They don't understand and acknowledge all of the other ways in which sexual trauma can be perpetrated and experienced. In fact, they assume that unless their bodies were actually sexually touched in some way, it isn't considered sexual trauma at all. Help educate your clients to the reality that sexual trauma includes being forced to do sexual acts to the perpetrator or another victim, being forced to watch something sexually explicit, having their sexual limit-setting ignored and their boundaries violated. It can include any other form of unwanted touch or sexual experience that left them feeling invaded, unsafe, coerced, trapped, threatened, or taken advantage of in some way. Remember to process the confusion that surrounds sexual trauma when perpetrators evoke arousal, stimulation, or orgasm. These are biological responses and do not mean the victim wanted what was happening to happen. Normalize that the "freeze" response probably saved their life. And always remember to explore the exact same set of questions with your male clients. There are just as many female perpetrators and male victims out there!