Rape (sexual intercourse against a person's will through the use or threat of force) is a traumatic experience for any one who experiences it.  There are many types of sexual assault. People can be raped by strangers, acquaintances, friends or a spouse. The effects are devastating and can last for years.

In spite of the amount of information about sexual assault in the media, many people are still confused by what exactly constitutes sexual assault.  Part of the confusion arises from the many myths about sexual assault.

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Myths and Realities 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: Women cannot be raped by their husbands.

Reality:  Many married women are coerced or forced to have unwanted sex by their partners.

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: 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 desire. It 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.