What term is used to refer to the person who commits sexual violence?

• A. Bystander
• B. Survivor
• C. Perpetrator
• D. Victim

Answer: (C)

The main idea is naming the actor who commits sexual violence. The term used is perpetrator. In professional and clinical language, perpetrator designates the person who carries out a crime or harmful act, including sexual violence. It clearly identifies the person responsible for the act and is used across reporting, investigation, and accountability contexts.

By contrast, a bystander is someone who witnesses or could intervene but does not describe the person who commits the act. A survivor refers to someone who has endured violence and continues to live with its impact, rather than the person who committed it. A victim is the harmed party, the person who experienced the act, not the one who caused it.