Sexual coercion: Thinking and understanding sexual violence beyond sexual offenders

International audienceSexual violence is a major social problem for which the incidence and prevalence are largely underestimated. In addition, available studies suggest that the vast majority of sexual violence is committed by individuals from the general population who are not (and probably never will be) identified by the authorities. By proposing to study a broader spectrum of behaviors than sexual offences alone, the concept of sexual coercion allows for a more accurate assessment of sexual violence as a whole.Following a proposed definition of sexual coercion, a selection of available key data is presented to illustrate the magnitude of the phenomenon. The conceptual and practical implications of favoring the notion of sexual coercion over sexual offences are discussed.This article ends with a presentation of the articles that are included in the thematic issue