Sexual Violence Basics
How Big a Problem is Sexual Violence?

National Statistics on Sexual Victimization

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Every 6 minutes, one rape is reported in the United States (compared with one murder every 27 minutes).1 An estimated 1.1 million people over age 12 were victims of rape and sexual assault in 1992. This compares with approximately 500,000 people who were physically injured by drunk drivers.2 Nearly 18% of American women, and 3% of American men, report having been victims of completed or attempted rape during their lifetimes. 3 In one national survey, 84% of women who disclosed that they had been raped never reported their rapes to the police.4 In a national study of college students, 27.5% of the females reported that, since they were 14 years old, they had experienced an act that could be considered rape (based on the legal definition of rape). 5 Only 3 out of 10 reported rapes/sexual assaults reported to law enforcement are committed by strangers (compared to 7 out of 10 robberies.)6 While most rape victims are female, men and boys are also victimized by this crime. In 1995, 31,979 males age 12 and older reported being victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. 7 Every year approximately 1 million women and 371,000 men are victims of stalking.3 In 1997, 15,889 charges of sexual harassment were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and with local and state Fair Employment Practices Agencies around the country.8 In a nationwide survey, 56% of women responding had received at least one obscene phone call, 16% within the last six months.9

* Although statistics can help us understand the problem of sexual violence, they have some limitations. Statistics should be considered and used carefully.

National Statistics on Child Sexual Abuse

• At least 20% of American women and 5% to 10% of American men have experienced sexual abuse as children. 10
• Most child sexual abuse is committed by men (90%) and by persons known to the victim (70% to 90%).10
• Family members constitute 30% to 50% of the perpetrators against girls, and 10% to 20% of the perpetrators against boys.10
• The vast majority of child sexual abuse victims are not arrested for perpetrating sex crimes, or any other crimes, as adults; however, they are at higher risk for committing crimes than people who were not abused or neglected as children.11
• Children who are sexually abused are about 30 times more likely to be arrested for prostitution as adults, compared to non-abused children.11

National Statistics on Perpetration

• About half of all adult sex offenders committed their first sexual offense during adolescence.12
• In a national study of college students, 7.7% of male respondents reported that, since they were 14 years old, they has committed an act that could be considered rape (based on the legal definition of rape).5
• On a given day about 234,000 offenders convicted of rape or sexual assault are under the care, custody, or control of corrections agencies.13

National Statistics on Attitudes about Sexual Violence

In a survey of 432 male and female adolescents, aged 14 through 19, 72% of respondents initially said that force is never justified in order to have sexual intercourse. However, when presented with nine specific scenarios, 76% of the males and 56% of the females responded that force was acceptable in at least one of those scenarios. The scenarios included "when a girl gets a guy sexually excited," "when she says she's going to have sex, then changes her mind," and "when she's led him on."14

By age 16, most Americans have already witnessed 200,000 acts of violent crime on television.15

Among teenagers between ages 12 and 17, 8% reported that the most important problem facing them is violence and crime in school. Another 8% reported that sexual issues are the most important problem facing them.16

Minnesota Statistics

• Every day in Minnesota:
  6.7 rapes are reported to law enforcement.
  5 people are arrested for prostitution.
  10.8 other sex offenses are reported to law enforcement.17
• Sex offenders make up the largest single group of inmates in Minnesota adult and juvenile correctional facilities (approximately 20.5%).18
• In 1997, 956 people were arrested for rape in Minnesota. 1,129 people were arrested for other sex offenses.18
• Only 9% of victims receiving services from Minnesota sexual assault programs did not know their perpetrators. 37% of the perpetrators were acquaintances, friends, or dates, 33% were parents, step-parents, siblings, or other relatives, and 8% were spouses.19