TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of Sexual Assault/Rape, Suicide
This month offers a chance to “honor the resiliency and healing of survivors” (Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence), while also drawing attention to an issue that is not discussed near as often as it should be for how prevalent it is. The term ‘sexual assault’ refers to sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim. Sexual assault can include anything from fondling or unwanted sexual touching, to rape, and the rate at which this crime is perpetrated is startling.
The following statistics are from Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN):
An American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds
Per year, in the United States,
victims of sexual assault include:
433,648 members of the general public
80,600 inmates
60,000 children
18,900 military members
- The majority of sexual assaults occur at or near the victim’s home, and the perpetrator is often known to the victim.
- While females make up the majority, males make up 10% of rape victims in the US, Children and adults ages 12-34 are at the highest risk for rape and sexual assault.
- 21% of TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) college students have been sexually assaulted, compared to 18% of non-TGQN females, and 4% of non-TGQN males.
- Native Americans are at the greatest risk of sexual violence.
- The majority of sexual assaults are not reported to the police, and the vast majority of perpetrators will not go to jail or prison.
- The perpetrators of sexual assault are often white males ages 21 and older.
- Perpetrators of rape are often serial criminals.
These are just a handful of the many staggering statistics regarding sexual assault. There are lists of reasons why sexual assaults go unreported, including fear of reoccurrence, or retaliation. Though regardless of whether or not the assaults are reported, there are very real and lasting effects on the victims including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicide attempts.
So what can you do? “Knowing is not enough. Start the conversation” (OPDV, nd). One of the best ways you can help raise awareness is to simply talk about the issue. Armed with facts and statistics, have the conversation. End the stigma surrounding the topic, and push back when you hear people making jokes about rape, or blaming victims. It’s okay to make people feel uncomfortable, especially if it means protecting others. Together we can build a community of awareness and prevention.
Resources:
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month | Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (ny.gov)