Prevent Sexual Assault

April 4, 2019
April sexual assault awareness month


The effects of sexual assault are devastating, life altering and lifelong. Sexual assault is an “everyone problem.” Embrace zero tolerance. Be a part of the solution. Learn how at: https://www.nsvrc.org/friends-family

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), “Sexual violence continues to be a major public health problem affecting millions of adults and children in the United States.”

The consequences of sexual assault are considerable and include:

  • sexually transmitted infections
  • mental health disorders (anxiety, depression)
  • post-traumatic stress disorder
  • unintended pregnancy
  • sleep disorders
  • sexual dysfunction
  • substance abuse
  • suicide

As reported by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, some of the sobering statistics are:

Sexual Assault in the United States

  • One in five women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives
  • 51.1% of female victims of rape reported being raped by an intimate partner and 40.8% by an acquaintance
  • Almost half (49.5%) of multiracial women and over 45% of American Indian/Alaska Native women have been subjected to some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime
  • 91% of victims of rape and sexual assault are female, and nine percent are male
  • In eight out of 10 cases of rape, the victim knew the perpetrator
  • Eight percent of rapes occur while the victim is at work

Cost & Impact of Sexual Assault

  • The lifetime cost of rape per victim is $122,461
  • Annually, rape costs the U.S. more than any other crime ($127 billion), followed by assault ($93 billion), murder ($71 billion), and drunk driving, including fatalities ($61 billion)
  • 81% of women and 35% of men report significant short- or long-term impacts such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Child Sexual Abuse

  • One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old
  • 30% of women were between the ages of 11 and 17 at the time of their first completed rape
  • 12.3% of women were age 10 or younger at the time of their first completed rape victimization
  • 27.8% of men were age 10 or younger at the time of their first completed rape victimization
  • 96% of people who sexually abuse children are male, and 76.8% of people who sexually abuse children are adults
  • 34% of people who sexually abuse a child are family members of the child
  • The average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution is 12-14 years old, and the average age at which boys first become victims of prostitution is 11-13 years old
  • Only 12% of child sexual abuse is ever reported to the authorities

The effects of sexual assault are devastating, life altering and lifelong. Sexual assault is an “everyone problem.” Embrace zero tolerance. Be a part of the solution. Learn how at: https://www.nsvrc.org/friends-family

Reference:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist, 2019. Committee Opinion: Sexual Assault. Online [available at]:  https://www.acog.org/Search?Keyword=sexual+assault Accessed April 1, 2019.

National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 2019. Statistics. Online [available at] : https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics Accessed April 1, 2019.