You didn't choose to be a victim, it was thrusted upon you.
Whether you have been sexually assaulted or raped recently or some time ago, you are not alone. You may have concerns about your safety, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, or telling your partner or family about the assault. You may be having feelings of shock, fear, disbelief, recurring memories, outrage, confusion, sadness, despair, and anger. At a Family Advocacy Center you can regain hope, and begin your journey from victim to survivor to thriver. If you would like to receive a Jane Doe or a John Doe Rape kit that can also take place and any of our Family Advocacy Centers.
What is a “Jane Doe or John Doe Rape Kit?”
- A “Jane Doe Rape Kit” is the common name for the forensic evidence collected during a sexual assault examination of a victim who chooses to remain anonymous. A “Jane Doe/John Doe Rape Kit” enables a victim to have forensic evidence collected without revealing identifying information. Victims are given a code number they can use to identify themselves if they choose to report later, and they are not required to cooperate with law enforcement or criminal justice authorities. Some states and localities are providing this voluntarily for victims who are not ready to report to law enforcement at the time of the examination.
Statistics About Sexual Violence Sexual Violence In The U.S.
- Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
- Every 9 minutes, that victim is a child.
- One in five women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives
- 46.4% lesbians, 74.9% bisexual women and 43.3% heterosexual women reported sexual violence other than rape during their lifetimes, while 40.2% gay men, 47.4% bisexual men and 20.8% heterosexual men reported sexual violence other than rape during their lifetimes.
- Nearly one in 10 women has been raped by an intimate partner in her lifetime, including completed forced penetration, attempted forced penetration or alcohol/drug-facilitated completed penetration. Approximately one in 45 men has been made to penetrate an intimate partner during his lifetime.
- 91% of the victims of rape and sexual assault are female, and 9% are male.
- In eight out of 10 cases of rape, the victim knew the person who sexually assaulted them.
- 8% of rapes occur while the victim is at work.
Cost and Impact
- Each rape costs approximately $151,423.
- Annually, rape costs the U.S. more than any other crime ($127 billion), followed by assault ($93 billion), murder ($71 billion), and drunk driving ($61 billion)
- 81% of women and 35% of men report significant short-term or long-term impacts such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Health care is 16% higher for women who were sexually abused as children.
Child Sexual Abuse
- One in three girls and one in five boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old.
- 94% of people who sexually abuse a child are family members.
- 12.3% of women were age 10 or younger at the time of their first rape/victimization, and 30% of women were between the ages of 11 and 17.
- 27.8% of men were age 10 or younger at the time of their first rape/victimization.
- More than one-third of women who report being raped before age 18 also experience rape as an adult.
- 96% of people who sexually abuse children are male, and 76.8% of people who sexually abuse children are adults.
- 325,000 children are at risk of becoming victims of commercial child sexual exploitation each year.
- The average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution is 12 to 14 years old, and the average age for boys is 11 to 13 years old.
Campus Sexual Assault
- One in 5 women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college.
- More than 90% of sexual assault victims on college campuses do not report the assault.
- 63.3% of men at one university who self-reported acts qualifying as rape or attempted rape admitted to committing repeat rapes.
Crime reports
- Rape is the most under-reported crime; 63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police.
- Only 12% of child sexual abuse is reported to the authorities.
- The prevalence of false reporting is between 2% and 10%. For example, a study of eight U.S. communities, which included 2,059 cases of sexual assault, found a 7.1% rate of false reports. A study of 136 sexual assault cases in Boston found a 5.9% rate of false reports. Researchers studied 812 reports of sexual assault from 2000-03 and found a 2.1% rate of false reports.