One in six women in the US will most likely be sexually assaulted during her lifetime.
There are several factors that contribute to this statistic: the fact that sexual assault is an underreported crime, the underlying social stigma surrounding it, and the lack of available resources for victims. Ultimately, these issues will have a lasting impact on the health, well-being, and economic security of Americans.
The most common type of sexual violence is known as rape, or sexual coercion. It can occur anytime, anywhere, and in any setting. It is a serious, life-changing crime that can affect anyone.
Most rapes are committed by someone the victim knows, typically a friend or family member. However, some rapes are committed by strangers or gang members. These incidents, called “gang rapes,” are particularly devastating for the victim and often involve very severe physical injuries.
Almost half of rapes in the US are committed by women. This statistic is even higher among youth under 18 years of age, according to statistics on sexual abuse.
Rapes are most commonly committed in private places, like homes, apartments, or workplaces. It is also more common for rapes to be committed at night.
In most states, a person who commits a rape faces a jail term of at least 25 years in prison. The federal government also has jurisdiction over rapes, particularly when the rape is committed on federal property or crosses state borders, or when it substantially affects interstate commerce or national security.
There are many ways to prevent rape. Prevention efforts include building awareness of the dangers and providing a safe space for survivors to speak openly about their experiences. They may also target specific groups at high risk for victimization, such as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) students, students with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minority students.
The disproportionate rate of sexual victimization among these groups highlights the need to tailor campus responses to those at highest risk for victimization. This includes enhancing existing services and programs, improving training for staff, and developing new ones.
Colleges can play an important role in preventing rape, particularly if they have well-developed campus response plans that include support services for students and an understanding of the different forms of sexual victimization. They should also identify key campus leaders and implement appropriate prevention and intervention strategies.
Despite these efforts, a significant number of college campuses experience sexual assault and rape. This can be especially true for students with disabilities, who are more likely to be assaulted by their peers than able-bodied students.
While a substantial percentage of all college students experience sexual assault, these attacks can vary widely from school to school. It is critical to understand the types of sexual victimization that take place on each campus so that schools can customize their prevention and intervention efforts, provide a supportive and healing environment for the assaulted student, and address the needs of perpetrators.
A growing number of schools are responding to these crimes by establishing dedicated sexual assault centers and counseling services for victims. This is a good step in the right direction. But more action is needed to address the underlying social factors that lead to these attacks. For example, more efforts need to be made to improve the criminal justice system for rapes and other forms of sexual violence.