Unfortunately, many myths concerning sexual assault continue to survive in our culture. In the past decade, research on sexual assault has greatly expanded our knowledge about the realities of this crime, thus shattering numerous myths about what rape is, who gets raped, under what circumstances rape occurs, and who the offender is. It is important for you to know the facts. This knowledge can assist you in understanding the feelings and reactions you may be experiencing.

One rape happens every 3 hours, 52 minutes in North Carolina. www.nccasa.org.

Each year, an estimated 500,000 women are the victims of some type of rape or sexual assault. U.S. Department of Justice. National Crime Victimization Survey, 1995. Violence Against Women: Estimates from the Redesigned Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics .

Of reported rapes in 1999 in North Carolina:
State Bureau of Investigation. 2000. Rape Victims by Age and Race, 1999.

• 17.1% of the victims of sexual assault were under age 14.
• 49.6% were between the ages of 15 and 30.
• 58.8 % of victims were white.
• 38.6% of victims were black. .

1 out of 4 rapes occur in the victim’s home; it is the most common place for an assault. Crime and Crime Prevention Statistics, 1991 Edition.

Less than 1 in 3 rapes and sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement. U.S. Department of Justice. National Crime Victimization Survey, 1997. Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Nearly 1/3 of all rape victims will develop Rape-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. National Victim Center . (1996). The Prevalence and Consequences of Child Victimization.

86% of all rape is perpetrated by someone who is known to the victim. D.G. Kilpatrick, C.N. Edmunds, & A. Seymour. 1992. Rape in America: A Report to the Nation. Arlington VA: National Victim Center.

10-14% of all married women and at least 40% battered wives in the US have been raped by their husbands. Campbell & Alford, “The Dark Consequences of Marital Rape,”American Journal of Nursing.

1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before age 18. www.pcar.org

93% of abusers are male. Crewdson, J. (1988). By Silence Betrayed. Brown and Company.

83% of abusers identify themselves as heterosexuals. Crewdson, J. (1988). By Silence Betrayed. Brown and Company.

1 out of 12 women and 1 out of 45 men in the United States have been stalked at some point in their lifetime. Tjaden, P. and Thoennes, N. (1998). Stalking in America: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey, National Institute of Justice Centers for Disease Control, and Prevention Research in Brief.

In a study of 9,000 clerical and professional women, 92% of respondents had experienced overt physical harassment, sexual remarks, and leering. McKeineey, K. (1991). Sexual Harassment, Sexual Coercion.

75% of date and acquaintance rapes involve alcohol or drug use by the assailant. Warshaw, R. I never called it rape: the Ms. report of recognizing, fighting, and surviving rape. New York: Harper & Row.

At least 75% of prostitutes were sexually and physically abused as children. Rita Belton. Prostitution As Traumatic Reenactment in International Society for Traumatic Stress Annual Meeting. Los Angeles, CA (1992).

One study estimates that more than 90% of people with developmental disabilities will experience sexual abuse at some point in their lives. Valenti-Hein, D., Shwartz, L. 1995. Sexual Abuse Interview for those with Developmental Disabilities.

In the US, rape is the most costly crime to its victims totaling $127 billion a year considering factors such as medical costs, lost earnings, pain, suffering and lost quality of life. www.nccasa.org.