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SEXUAL VIOLENCE FACT
SHEET
Understanding the Issue
Sexual violence is any unwanted sexual contact.
Just the threat of force can make a victim submit. Most sexual violence
is perpetrated by someone the victim knows. It can be a friend,
classmate, co-worker, date, neighbor or relative. Force can be actual
physical aggression, threats of force, emotional coercion or
psychological blackmailing.
The person who forces the unwanted sexual contact
usually has physical, emotional, occupational, relational and/or moral
power over the victim.
A lack of clear communication or failure to
understand differences in gender communication styles can also lead to
sexual violence. This is more likely to occur in dating or romantic
situations.
Rape in America
- Every minute in America there are 1.3 rapes of
women.
- 78 women are raped each hour in America.
- 1,871 women in America are forcibly raped each
day.
(National Victim Center, 1995)
Rape in Pennsylvania
- In 1995 there were 2,964 forcible rapes
reported to Pennsylvania police. This amounts to a reported rape
every 2 hours and 57 minutes, or 8 rapes of women per day.
(PA State Police, 1995)
In Pennsylvania
In fiscal year 1995-96, Sexual Assault Centers in
PA served 31,512 persons:
- 10,896 were adult victims
- 8,097 were child victims
- 12,519 were significant others
The highest percentage of clients was female
(78.8%); 51.9% were 12-17 year-old children, while children between the
ages of 6-11 accounted for 30.5%. Children under 5 years of age
accounted for the remaining 17.6 % (PCAR stats, 1996).
In 1995 there were 2,964 forcible rapes reported
to Pennsylvania police departments. This averages to 8 offenses each day
or one every 2 hours and 57 minutes. (Pennsylvania
Uniform Crime Report).
Facts & Figures
- Sexual violence remains the most dramatically
underreported crime, with an estimated two-thirds of attacks
unreported. (American Medical Association 1996)
- The average rape or attempted rape costs $5,100
in tangible, out-of-pocket expenses. Medical and mental health care
to victims represents the bulk of expenses. Adding to the impact a
rape has on the victim's quality of life, the average rape costs
$87,000 annually. (Victim Costs and Consequences. 1996)
- In 1993, women reported 500,000 rapes and
sexual assaults. Friends and acquaintances committed more than half
of these crimes. (U.S. Department of Justice. National Crime
Victimization Survey)
- The majority of all rapes of women are known as
acquaintance rapes, in which the victim knows her attacker.
Approximately three-quarters of all lone-offender sexual violence
against women is perpetrated by offenders known to the victim.
Strangers are responsible for 1 in 5 sexual assaults. Men were
slightly more likely to be sexually victimized by someone they know
(54%) than by a stranger (46%). (Bureau of Justice Statistics).
- Women who are most often raped are between 16
and 24 years of age (Koss). Since this is the period when young
women begin to date, they are particularly vulnerable to being a
victim of date rape. The peak rate of victimization occurs in the 16
to19-year old age group with the next highest rate of victimization
occurring between 20 and 24 years of age.
- Eight in 10 college rapes involved someone the
attacker knew, more than half involved a date. Eighty-six percent of
these rapes occurred in off-campus housing or in a car - prior to
the rape 42% had been virgins. (Rape on Campus: Facts and Measures)
- Almost one-third of sexual assault victims
suffer from rape trauma syndrome at some point. Symptoms may include
depression, suicidal thoughts or attempts, and drug/alcohol abuse.
Victims of rape are three times more likely than non-victims to
experience a major depression. The attempted rate of suicide is 13
times higher than for that of non-victims (Rape In America).
- Lesbians face additional problems. Their
experience may include insensitive treatment from medical and
justice personnel. It may also cause questions as to their sexual
identity. Lesbians who have not had sexual experience with a male
may experience extreme pain from forced intercourse (A Resource
Guide for Volunteer Training).
- In the majority of rapes where a gay male rapes
another gay male, it is most often acquaintance rape. Acquaintance
rape of males also occurs in same-sex institutions such as prisons,
boarding schools or the military (Male Rape).
- Individuals with developmental or physical
disabilities are at risk of being sexually assaulted by their
caretakers. People with developmental disabilities are often taught
to obey others without question. They learn it is important to
please those in authority. This leaves them vulnerable to sexual
exploitation. Those with physical impairments may have limited
ability to defend themselves against sexual assault. Those who
depend upon others for personal hygiene are at even greater risk for
sexual abuse. Family members or agencies that supply attendant
services may dismiss complaints of sexual assault (A Resource Guide
for Volunteer Training).
- Male victims of sexual assault experience the
same reactions as women, as well as increased sense of
vulnerability, damaged self-image, and emotional distancing. These
reactions are often a result of the cultural belief that a male
should be capable of defending himself. Consequently, males often
blame themselves for the attack (Male Rape).
- Men also have difficulty verbalizing emotions
of fear or guilt since many were taught that the only emotion men
can express is anger (A Resource Guide for Volunteer Training).
- Sexual harassment affects women in many ways.
They may quit work or find schoolwork difficult to finish. Four out
of five girls experience some form of sexual harassment in school.
Most were harassed by their peers, but 18% were harassed by school
employees (Hostile Hallways).
- Women who are sexually harassed in college will
drop classes, change majors or even switch graduate majors to avoid
professors who sexually harass. Many will drop out of school (Sexual
Harassment).
Resources
American Assn. of University Women, Hostile
Hallways, AAUW, 1993.
American Medical Association, National Report Card
on Violence, June 1996.
Bureau of Justice Statistics, August 1995.
Fitzgerald, Louise R, Sexual Harassment, American
Psychologist, October 1993.
Koss, Mary, Rape on Campus: Facts and Measures,
Planning for Higher Education, Spring 1992.
National Institute of Justice, Victim Costs and
Consequences, 1996. National Victim Center, Male Rape, NVC, 1992.
National Victim Center, Rape in America, NVC, 1992. Pennsylvania
Coalition Against Rape, 1996.
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, A Resource
Guide for Volunteer Trainit7g, 1993.
PA State Police, Uniform Crime Report, 1995. U.S.
Department of Justice, National Crime Victimization Survey, 1993.
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR)
125 N. Enola Dr. Enola, PA 17025
717-728-9740 or 800-692-7445 (in PA)
e-mail: stop@pcar.org
URL: www.pcar.org
PA Relay Service: 800-654-5984 |
