Rape/Sexual Assault

What is Rape/Sexual Assault?

Definition: Sexual intercourse against a person's will through the use or threat of force. This includes a variety of types of rape such as acquaintance rape, date rape, stranger rape, multiple rape, marital rape and others.

Unfortunately, sexual assault is a subject still surrounded by myth. For example:

  • Myth: Date rape only happens between people who just met or don't know each other well.
    Reality: Rape has nothing to do with how well the person knows the assailant. It's not uncommon for a person to be raped by someone she or he has been dating for a long time, or by a former lover, or by a spouse.
  • Myth: There are many false reports of rape, especially date rape.
    Reality: Less than 1% of reported rapes in Los Angeles County have been found to be false reports (a lower false report rate than for either robbery or homicide). In fact, nine out of 10 incidences of rape are NEVER reported.
  • Myth: Women can easily avoid situations that can lead to rape.
    Reality: Most women who have been raped were in an environment they considered safe and were raped by someone they thought they could trust.
  • Myth: White women are more likely to be raped by black men than by white men.
    Reality: Only 13% of reported rapes are interracial, and of those that are, the majority involve white men raping black women.
  • Myth: Only women can be raped.
    Reality: Men can be and are sexually assaulted, and not only by men who are gay. Rape is not about sexual orientation or sexual desireŅit is an act of power and control, in which the victim is brutalized and humiliated. A survey of convicted rapists has found that at least half did not care about the sex of their victims: they had raped both men and women.

Incidence (American Medical Association)

  • Sexual assault continues to represent the most rapidly growing violent crime in America. (ref 1)
  • Over 700,000 women are sexually assaulted each year. (ref 2)
  • It is estimated that fewer than 50% of rapes are reported. (ref 1)
  • Approximately 20% of sexual assaults against women are perpetrated by assailants unknown to the victim. The remainder are committed by friends, acquaintances, intimates, and family members. Acquaintance rape is particularly common among adolescent victims. (ref 12)
  • Male victims represent five percent of reported sexual assaults. (ref 11)
  • Among female rape victims, 61% are under age 18. (ref 3,11)
  • At least 20% of adult women, 15% of college women and 12% of adolescent women have experienced some form of sexual abuse or assault during their lifetimes. (ref 4)

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Where can I go for more in depth information about this topic?


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