How is sexual abuse defined under PREA standards?

• A. Any sexual act where the victim does not give consent.
• B. Only acts involving staff.
• C. Only acts that result in physical injury.
• D. Any sexual activity between inmates.

Answer: (A)

Under PREA, sexual abuse is defined by the lack of voluntary consent in a sexual act involving a resident, whether the partner is staff or another resident. The crucial point is that the act is non-consensual, coerced, or exploitative, not simply whether physical injury occurs or who is involved. So the best way to capture this concept is: any sexual act where the resident does not give consent.

The other descriptions are too narrow. PREA covers consent issues regardless of whether staff are involved, not just acts that cause physical harm, and it can apply to inmate-on-inmate interactions when consent is absent or coercion is present.