Statistics

The following sections provide national statistics on sexual assault.

For Texas facts, see the report at the end.

Prevalence of Assault

  • Every 73 seconds, another American is sexual assaulted.1
  • 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.1
  • 1 out of every 33 American men has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in his lifetime.1
  • A majority of child victims are ages 12-17.1

Where Assaults Typically Occur 

  • 55% at or near the victim’s home2
  • 15% in an open public space2
  • 12% at or near a relative’s home2
  • 10% in an enclosed but public parking area, such as a garage or parking lot2
  • 8% on school property2

Common Activities Before an Assault

  • 48% sleeping or performing another activity at home2
  • 29% traveling to and from work or school or to shop or run errands2
  • 12% at work2
  • 7% at school2
  • 5% doing an unknown or other activity2

Age of Victims 

  • 15% ages 12-173
  • 54% ages 18-343
  • 28% ages 35-643
  • 3% ages 65+3

The Survivor 
The likelihood of suicidal or depressive thoughts increases after sexual violence.

  • 94% of female survivors experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the two weeks following the rape.4
  • 33% of women who are raped contemplate suicide.5
  • 13% of women who are raped attempt suicide.5
  • Approximately 70% of rape or sexual assault survivors experience moderate to severe distress, a larger percentage than for any other violent crime.6
  • People who have been sexually assaulted are more likely to use drugs than the general public.5

Their Relationships
Sexual violence also impacts a survivor’s relationships with family, friends and co-workers.5

  • 38% of survivors experience work or school problems, which can include significant problems with a boss, coworker, or peer.
  • 37% experience family/friend problems, including getting into arguments more frequently than before, not feeling able to trust their family/friends, or not feeling as close to them as before the crime.
  • 84% of survivors who were victimized by an intimate partner experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
  • 79% of survivors who were victimized by a family member, close friend or acquaintance experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
  • 67% of survivors who were victimized by a stranger experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.

Prosecution and Reporting

  • Perpetrators of sexual violence are less likely to go to jail or prison than other criminals.
  • While we’re making progress, even today, only 25 out of every 1,000 rapists will end up in prison.
  • The majority of sexual assaults are never reported.
  • Only 230 out of every 1,000 sexual assaults are reported to police. That means about 3 out of 4 sexual assaults are left unreported.8

Reasons for Reporting
Of the sexual violence crimes reported to police from 2005-2010, the survivor gave the following reasons for doing so2:

  • 28% to protect the household or survivor from further crimes by the offender
  • 25% to stop the incident or prevent recurrence or escalation
  • 21% to improve police surveillance or they believed they had a duty to do so
  • 17% to catch/punish/prevent offender from reoffending
  • 6% gave a different answer, or declined to cite one reason
  • 3% did so to get help or recover loss

Reasons for Not Reporting
Of the sexual violence crimes not reported to police from 2005-2010, the survivor gave the following reasons for not doing so2:

  • 20% feared retaliation
  • 13% believed the police wouldn’t do anything to help
  • 13% believed it was a personal matter
  • 8% reported to a different official
  • 8% believed it wasn’t important enough to report
  • 7% didn’t want to get the perpetrator in trouble
  • 2% believed the police couldn’t do anything to help
  • 30% gave another reason, or did not cite a reason

Relation to Survivor 
70% of rapes are committed by someone known to the survivor.1

  • 39% acquaintance
  • 19.5% stranger
  • 33% current or former spouse (boyfriend or girlfriend)
  • 6% more than one person or the survivor cannot remember
  • 2.5% non-spousal relative

Age
Half of perpetrators are age 30 or older2.

  • 25% ages 21-29
  • 9% ages 18-20
  • 15% age 17 or younger

Race/Ethnicity 
The majority of perpetrators are white2.

  • 27% black
  • 8% unknown ethnicity
  • 6% other
  • 1% mixed group

Criminal History
Perpetrators are often serial offenders7.

  • 370 have at least one prior felony conviction.
  • 520 will be released while awaiting trial.
  • 70 of the released perpetrators will re-offend on another crime before their case is decided.

All statistics are taken from data provided by The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) at https://www.rainn.org/statistics/.

  1.     Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, 2018 (2019). Note: RAINN applies a 5-year rolling average to adjust for changes in the year-to-year NCVS survey data.
  2.     i. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates, 2011-2012 (2013); ii. United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. Child Maltreatment Survey, 2012 (2013); iii. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, 2010-2014 (2015); iv. Department of Defense, Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, (2015.) (This statistic presents information that references victims from varied demographics and time ranges. Specifically, the number of Americans assaulted includes those age 12 and older, and the number of child sexual abuse victims includes minors, some of whom are 12 and older. While this may mean data is overlapped, RAINN presents this data for educational purposes only, and strongly recommends using the citations to review any and all sources for more information and detail.) 
  3.     i. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Female Victims of Sexual Violence, 1994-2010  (2013); ii. National Institute of Justice & Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women Survey (1998). (This statistic presents information on the total number of male and female victims in the United States, using a study from 1998. Because the U.S. population has increased substantially since then, it is probable that the number of victims has as well. RAINN presents this data for educational purposes only, and strongly recommends using the citations to review any and all sources for more information and detail.) 
  4.     National Institute of Justice & Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women Survey (1998).
  5.     United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. Child Maltreatment Survey, 2012 (2013).
  6.     Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sex Offenses and Offenders (1997).
  7.     Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Female Victims of Sexual Violence, 1994-2010 (2013). (Due to rounding, this statistic may not total 100%. RAINN presents this data for educational purposes only, and strongly recommends using the citations to review any and all sources for more information and detail.)

 

TEXAS FACTS

TX SA Prevalence Study Final Report 4 2015_Page_01

Health and Well-being: The Texas Statewide Prevalence Study on Sexual Assault is a statewide telephone survey conducted in English and Spanish. The study used a randomly selected, representative sample of 1,203 adult Texans.

The purpose of this report is to present the descriptive findings on sexual assault prevalence, health and well-being in Texas, including survivors’ relationships to perpetrators, sexual assault reporting and the impact of sexual assault on survivors and their loved ones.

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