AVSI applies the following definitions:
Sexual exploitation: “Any actual or attempted abuse of position of vulnerability, differential power or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. This includes a number of acts such as “transactional sex”, “solicitation of transactional sex” and “exploitative relationship”.
Sexual abuse: “Actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. All sexual activity with a child is considered as sexual abuse. "Physical intrusion" is understood to mean "sexual activity". “Sexual abuse” includes acts such as “rape”, “sexual assault”, “sex with a minor”, and “sexual activity with a minor”.
Sexual harassment: “Happens where a staff member or AVSI’s collaborator directly or indirectly makes sexual advances, requests for sexual intercourse or sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature towards another member of staff, a service provider, a beneficiary. It can also include an implied or express promise of preferential treatment, or threat of detrimental treatment, being (explicitly or implicitly) made a term or condition of an individual’s employment affecting such individuals’ performance evaluation
or progression in employment. “
Please refer to the Code of Ethics, PSEAH Policy and Whistleblowing Policy on our website for more details.
