Sexual Violence
Rape Myths
Most people believe that rapes are committed by a stranger. However, 8 out of 10 rapes are committed by someone the victim knows, with the most common being a current or former partner.
By the Numbers
The majority of sexual assault victims are under 30 years old. 54% of survivors who experience sexual assault are between 18-34%.
Minority Populations
Most groups of the LGBTQIA+ community are more vulnerable to assault. Transgender students are at a higher risk for sexual violence.
Unlike 18% of non-TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) females, and 4% of non-TGQN males, 21% of TGQN college students have been sexually assaulted.
Though the highest age risk range for sexual assault is 12-34 years old, it can happen at any age. Our team has seen survivors as mature as 92 years old.
College students are 3x more likely than women in general to experience sexual violence.
Populations with higher incidences of sexual violence than the general public: include LGBQTIA+, Native American, minority groups, individuals with a physical or cognitive disability, and military personnel.
Another common myth is that survivors lie about being raped. In reality the false reporting rate is 2-4% and is the lowest false reporting rate of any major crime.
Survivors of sexual violence can experience major health consequences. 94% of women who are raped experience PTSD, and 70% of rape survivors who do not seek trauma care experience long-term health conditions, such as abdominal pain, migraine headaches, mental health disorders, chronic neck/back pain, and autoimmune disorders.
It is NEVER the victims/survivors fault! We start by believing.
Uber & Lyft Assaults
According to the most recently available information from Uber, it received 3,824 reports of sexual assault in 2019 and 2020. More than half of those reporting Uber rideshare assaults to the company were passengers. Lyft’s safety report provides similar information for 2019, with 1,807 sexual assaults reported.
Major rideshare companies are taking steps to reduce sexual assault and other violence during rides by using technology updates and expert guidance on safety measures.
Riders and drivers can report rideshare assault through in-app emergency features, online or by calling the appropriate rideshare company’s reporting number. During a ride, in-app emergency reporting buttons are the easiest and most discreet options for reaching out.
Those who have experienced Lyft or Uber sexual assault should also file a report with local police. People can find additional support and resources by calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673
For more information click here
Intimate Partner Strangulation
Strangulation can be defined as obstruction or compression of blood vessels and/or airways by external pressure to the neck impeding normal breathing or circulation of the blood.
Death can occur days or weeks after the attack due to cartoid artery dissection and respiratory complications such as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, stroke due to the risk of blood clots traveling to the brain (embolization).
The odds of homicide increase 750% for victims that have been previously strangled by their partner. If an abuser has access to firearms, the odds of female homicide increase by 1,100%.
Myth- If it was a serious injury there would be visible marks.
The reality is that 50% of fatal strangulations had no physical signs.
Emergency care should be taken if the survivor feels any changes in their breathing, coughing, voice, neck, throat, tongue, eyelids, behavior, movement, and more.
Male Statistics
Men and boys are also affected by sexual violence. Millions of men in the United States have been victims of rape.
As of 1998, 2.78 million men in the U.S. had been victims of attempted or completed rape.
About one in four male victims of completed or attempted rape first experienced it between the ages of 11 and 17.
About 3% of American men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. That's 1 in 33 men.
Over half (52.4%) of male victims report being raped by an acquaintance and 15.1% by a stranger.
As the body of research on male sexual victimization grows, the anti-sexual violence field becomes more aware of the widespread prevalence of sexual violence against men and boys. Follow The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) for new statistics and articles on all types of sexual violence.