Moving to End Sexual Assault

Sexual Assault Statistics and Quick Facts
Victim Rights Information
What is Consent?
Myths Concerning Sexual Assault
Emotional Effects of Sexual Assault
Tips on How to Help Survivors of Sexual Assault
Further Reading

Sexual Assault Statistics and Quick Facts

In the United States, approximately 1,900 women are sexually assaulted every day.
Somewhere between 70 and 95% of sexual assault survivors know their attackers.
It is estimated that under 10% of sexual assaults are actually reported to police.
In the case of a sexual assault, submission is not equivalent to consent.

View MESA's "It's Not Your Fault" brochure by clicking here.

Victim Rights Information
Victims of sexual assault have rights. To learn about these rights, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice, Office for Victims Programs website for more information.

What is Consent?
Consent is a choice in which an individual agrees by free will to engage in sexual acts.
Because a person is in a current relationship or had previously been in a relationship does not mean that person automatically consents to sexual activity.
Consent and submission are not the same. Because someone may submit to a sex act does NOT mean that consent was given. If someone was sexually assaulted and did not fight during the assault, that does not mean the person gave consent.

Consent cannot be given if:

An individual is asleep
An individual is intoxicated or drugged (on legal or illegal substances)
An individual is unconscious
An individual is not of the age of consent
An individual is unable to communicate
A person is threatened either verbally, in writing, or physically
A person is physically forced to engage in an act
A person is intimidated in to engaging in an act
A person is cognitively impaired

Myths Concerning Sexual Assault
A whole manual could be written about rape myths and their functions in our society. These myths affect both perpetrators and victims, since we all believe them to one extent or another.
To end the violence of sexual assault, we must all understand what we believe to be true about rape. Below are some of the more popular myths we hold, not only as individuals, but also as a society.

Myth: Most sexual assault victims were “asking for it,” (i.e., the assault was provoked by the victim in some way).
Fact: To say that someone wants to be raped is the same as saying that people ask to be mugged or robbed. In fact, 60-70% of rapes are at least partially planned in advance, and the victim is often threatened with death or bodily harm if she resists. The responsibility for raping always lies with the perpetrator, not the victim.

Myth: Most women are raped by strangers.
Fact: According to Rape in America: A Report to the Nation, only 22% of rape victims were assaulted by someone they had never seen before or did not know well. The breakdown of non-stranger offenders in this study was: 9% by husbands or ex-husbands, 10% by boyfriends or ex-boyfriends, 11% by their fathers or stepfathers, 16% by other relatives, and 29% by other non-relatives, such as friends or neighbors. In addition, rapists include doctors, lawyers, therapists, clergy, police officers, and other authority figures. Because of their social and financial positions, these men are seldom prosecuted for their acts of violence, and their actions are seldom publicized.

Myth: Most victims sustain serious physical injuries.
Fact: Over two-thirds (70%) of rape victims reported no physical injuries, and only 4% sustained serious physical injuries, with 24% receiving minor physical injuries. However, it is important to note that many victims who did not sustain physical injuries nonetheless feared being seriously injured or killed during the rape. Almost half of all rape victims (49%) described being fearful of serious injury or death during the rape. (It is important to note here that just because a victim may not look injured physically, she is still the victim of a violent crime.)

Myth: A corollary to the above myth is that women who submit during sexual assault have not been forcibly raped.
Fact: Again, victims often submit without struggle due to fear of physical threat, or if the assailant is armed with a deadly weapon. Many times, the victim is incapable of either consenting or resisting, such as when she is unconscious, sleeping, drugged or drunk, a child, or has a physical or cognitive disability.

Myth: Rapists are sexually frustrated men, carried away with desire and passion.
Fact: Many rapes are not impulsive acts, but are planned events. In a 1971 study, Menachem Amir found that 71% of rapes are premeditated. Amir also found that 60% of offenders were married and having consensual sexual relations while assaulting other women. The myth that the rapist is carried away by uncontrollable sexual desire, and that his behavior is a natural masculine trait, serves only to excuse men who rape and place blame on the victim.

Myth: Most sexual assaults involve a black man raping a white woman.
Fact: Amir's study cited above found that in 93% of assaults, the rapist and victim were of the same race. In 3.3% of the cases, black men did rape white women, while in 3.4% white men raped black women. It is more comfortable for most white women and men to believe a potential attacker is a man of color. It is more difficult to face the reality - most attackers are of the same race and many are professionals whom the community trusts.

Myth: Sexual assault occurs only in large cities.
Fact: Rapes have been reported all across the country - in large cities and small towns. While it is true that there is a higher incidence of sexual assault in large cities, this is due solely to a greater population concentration. However, victims in rural areas have additional concerns to ones all victims face. For example, in a small town, the victim may not have the same anonymity she would in a large city.

Myth: A husband cannot rape his wife.
Fact: In Colorado, any act of sexual conduct to which a woman does not consent is rape, regardless of a woman's marital or social relationship with the man. Historically, rape laws have been based on an assumption of a wife as property of a husband. They did not recognize a woman's right to control her own body. Fortunately, today the vast majority of states allow a woman to criminally charge her husband with rape.

Emotional Effects of Sexual Assault
There are a range of emotions that sexual assault survivors experience after an assault. While there are no right or wrong ways to feel, below are some common emotions that many sexual assault survivors experience:

Humiliation
Shame and self-blame
Guilt
Fear of people
A feeling of loss of control over life
Concern for the rapist
Grief
Depression
Denial
Anger and irritability
Preoccupation with disease, pregnancy, or death
Risk of suicide
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

If you have been sexually assaulted and are feeling any of the emotions listed above or are experiencing other emotions that you would like to talk to someone about, MESA’s 24-hour crisis and information hotline is here for you. Please feel free to call 303.443.7300 at any time of the day or night to speak with a counselor.

Tips on How to Help Survivors of Sexual Assault

Remain calm. Encourage discussion about the trauma to the extent that the survivor feels comfortable.
Remind the survivor that they are not responsible for the assault, no matter what, and that no one asks or deserves to be raped.
Avoid saying that you know how the survivor feels. No one can ever really know how another person feels even if they have experienced the same kind of trauma.
Listen and avoid judging or questioning the survivor. Do not ask “why” questions such as, “Why were you drinking?” or “Why did you go to his room?”
Encourage the survivor to seek counseling from specially trained mental health professionals.
Help the survivor explore options and choices in their process of healing, but avoid making decisions for them.
Respect the survivor's need for privacy and her desire to talk or not talk about the details of the assault.
Acknowledge your own feeling of anger, concern, and sadness. Seek counseling for yourself to help process your reaction to the assault.
Remind the survivor that your love and friendship for her/him remains intact.

Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA)
2885 E. Aurora Avenue, Suite 10
Boulder, CO 80303
Phone: 303.443.0400
Fax: 303.443.0187
Email: info@movingtoendsexualassault.org
Website: www.movingtoendsexualassault.org
24-hour hotline available in English & Spanish: 303.443.7300

	Sexual Assault Statistics and Quick Facts Victim Rights Information What is Consent? Myths Concerning Sexual Assault Emotional Effects of Sexual Assault Tips on How to Help Survivors of Sexual Assault Further Reading Sexual Assault Statistics and Quick Facts In the United States, approximately 1,900 women are sexually assaulted every day. Somewhere between 70 and 95% of sexual assault survivors know their attackers. It is estimated that under 10% of sexual assaults are actually reported to police. In the case of a sexual assault, submission is not equivalent to consent. View MESA's "It's Not Your Fault" brochure by clicking here. Victim Rights Information Victims of sexual assault have rights. To learn about these rights, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice, Office for Victims Programs website for more information. What is Consent? Consent is a choice in which an individual agrees by free will to engage in sexual acts. Because a person is in a current relationship or had previously been in a relationship does not mean that person automatically consents to sexual activity. Consent and submission are not the same. Because someone may submit to a sex act does NOT mean that consent was given. If someone was sexually assaulted and did not fight during the assault, that does not mean the person gave consent. Consent cannot be given if: An individual is asleep An individual is intoxicated or drugged (on legal or illegal substances) An individual is unconscious An individual is not of the age of consent An individual is unable to communicate A person is threatened either verbally, in writing, or physically A person is physically forced to engage in an act A person is intimidated in to engaging in an act A person is cognitively impaired Myths Concerning Sexual Assault A whole manual could be written about rape myths and their functions in our society. These myths affect both perpetrators and victims, since we all believe them to one extent or another. To end the violence of sexual assault, we must all understand what we believe to be true about rape. Below are some of the more popular myths we hold, not only as individuals, but also as a society. Myth: Most sexual assault victims were “asking for it,” (i.e., the assault was provoked by the victim in some way). Fact: To say that someone wants to be raped is the same as saying that people ask to be mugged or robbed. In fact, 60-70% of rapes are at least partially planned in advance, and the victim is often threatened with death or bodily harm if she resists. The responsibility for raping always lies with the perpetrator, not the victim. Myth: Most women are raped by strangers. Fact: According to Rape in America: A Report to the Nation, only 22% of rape victims were assaulted by someone they had never seen before or did not know well. The breakdown of non-stranger offenders in this study was: 9% by husbands or ex-husbands, 10% by boyfriends or ex-boyfriends, 11% by their fathers or stepfathers, 16% by other relatives, and 29% by other non-relatives, such as friends or neighbors. In addition, rapists include doctors, lawyers, therapists, clergy, police officers, and other authority figures. Because of their social and financial positions, these men are seldom prosecuted for their acts of violence, and their actions are seldom publicized. Myth: Most victims sustain serious physical injuries. Fact: Over two-thirds (70%) of rape victims reported no physical injuries, and only 4% sustained serious physical injuries, with 24% receiving minor physical injuries. However, it is important to note that many victims who did not sustain physical injuries nonetheless feared being seriously injured or killed during the rape. Almost half of all rape victims (49%) described being fearful of serious injury or death during the rape. (It is important to note here that just because a victim may not look injured physically, she is still the victim of a violent crime.) Myth: A corollary to the above myth is that women who submit during sexual assault have not been forcibly raped. Fact: Again, victims often submit without struggle due to fear of physical threat, or if the assailant is armed with a deadly weapon. Many times, the victim is incapable of either consenting or resisting, such as when she is unconscious, sleeping, drugged or drunk, a child, or has a physical or cognitive disability. Myth: Rapists are sexually frustrated men, carried away with desire and passion. Fact: Many rapes are not impulsive acts, but are planned events. In a 1971 study, Menachem Amir found that 71% of rapes are premeditated. Amir also found that 60% of offenders were married and having consensual sexual relations while assaulting other women. The myth that the rapist is carried away by uncontrollable sexual desire, and that his behavior is a natural masculine trait, serves only to excuse men who rape and place blame on the victim. Myth: Most sexual assaults involve a black man raping a white woman. Fact: Amir's study cited above found that in 93% of assaults, the rapist and victim were of the same race. In 3.3% of the cases, black men did rape white women, while in 3.4% white men raped black women. It is more comfortable for most white women and men to believe a potential attacker is a man of color. It is more difficult to face the reality - most attackers are of the same race and many are professionals whom the community trusts. Myth: Sexual assault occurs only in large cities. Fact: Rapes have been reported all across the country - in large cities and small towns. While it is true that there is a higher incidence of sexual assault in large cities, this is due solely to a greater population concentration. However, victims in rural areas have additional concerns to ones all victims face. For example, in a small town, the victim may not have the same anonymity she would in a large city. Myth: A husband cannot rape his wife. Fact: In Colorado, any act of sexual conduct to which a woman does not consent is rape, regardless of a woman's marital or social relationship with the man. Historically, rape laws have been based on an assumption of a wife as property of a husband. They did not recognize a woman's right to control her own body. Fortunately, today the vast majority of states allow a woman to criminally charge her husband with rape. Emotional Effects of Sexual Assault There are a range of emotions that sexual assault survivors experience after an assault. While there are no right or wrong ways to feel, below are some common emotions that many sexual assault survivors experience: Humiliation Shame and self-blame Guilt Fear of people A feeling of loss of control over life Concern for the rapist Grief Depression Denial Anger and irritability Preoccupation with disease, pregnancy, or death Risk of suicide Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder If you have been sexually assaulted and are feeling any of the emotions listed above or are experiencing other emotions that you would like to talk to someone about, MESA’s 24-hour crisis and information hotline is here for you. Please feel free to call 303.443.7300* at any time of the day or night to speak with a counselor.* Tips on How to Help Survivors of Sexual Assault Remain calm. Encourage discussion about the trauma to the extent that the survivor feels comfortable. Remind the survivor that they are not responsible for the assault, no matter what, and that no one asks or deserves to be raped. Avoid saying that you know how the survivor feels. No one can ever really know how another person feels even if they have experienced the same kind of trauma. Listen and avoid judging or questioning the survivor. Do not ask “why” questions such as, “Why were you drinking?” or “Why did you go to his room?” Encourage the survivor to seek counseling from specially trained mental health professionals. Help the survivor explore options and choices in their process of healing, but avoid making decisions for them. Respect the survivor's need for privacy and her desire to talk or not talk about the details of the assault. Acknowledge your own feeling of anger, concern, and sadness. Seek counseling for yourself to help process your reaction to the assault. Remind the survivor that your love and friendship for her/him remains intact. Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA) 2885 E. Aurora Avenue, Suite 10 Boulder, CO 80303 Phone: 303.443.0400 Fax: 303.443.0187 Email: info@movingtoendsexualassault.org Website: www.movingtoendsexualassault.org 24-hour hotline available in English & Spanish: 303.443.7300
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