Did you know only 310 out of every 1,000 sexual assaults are reported to the authorities?
Unfortunately, that means many people don’t get justice after being the victims of sexual assault. There are many reasons why people don’t inform the authorities after an incident. Fear of reprisals from the perpetrator, fear of not being believed, fear that justice won’t be done, and fear of getting the perpetrator in trouble are reasons why this is the case.
While any allegation of sexual assault should be taken seriously, it’s equally important to remember there should be a presumption of innocence before the accused goes to court and is judged by a jury of their peers or a judge.
Anyone charged with such a crime should find the right criminal defense attorney since the stakes in such a case are high. It’s essential to find the right legal professional to advise and represent you.
With that said, here are seven statistics about sexual assaults you should know about.
1. 52.4% of Male Victims Were Victimized By an Acquaintance
According to one source, 52.4% of male victims say an acquaintance sexually assaulted them. Meanwhile, 15.1% were raped by a stranger. Some believe that only a stranger could commit such a heinous act against someone. But the statistics show that that’s not the case.
2. People Face the Highest Risk for Sexual Assault Between the Ages of 12 and 34
According to one source, people between the ages of 12 and 34 are at the highest risk of experiencing sexual assault. Post-secondary school campuses are a breeding ground for this sort of crime. The source notes that sexual assaults account for 43% of all on-campus crimes in the U.S.
Another study shows that by graduation from post-secondary school, 26% of female undergrads and nearly 7% of male undergrads report being victims of sexual assault.
3. 80% of Victims Know the Person Who Sexually Assaulted Them
Instances of people being raped by a stranger are fairly uncommon. One source notes that 80% of victims know the person who sexually assaulted them. It adds that perpetrators include family members, acquaintances, and current or previous romantic partners.
Meanwhile, 93% of juvenile victims know the person who violated them. 59% were acquaintances, 34% were family members, and 7% were strangers.
4. 50% of Perpetrators Are 30 or Older
Half of the perpetrators of sexual assault are 30 years old or older. Meanwhile, 25% are 21 to 29, 9% are 18 to 20, and 15% are 17 or younger.
5. 80% of Teenage Girl Victims Develop Mental Health Disorders
Unfortunately, many sexual assault victims develop mental health problems after their traumatic experiences.
One study finds that around 80% of teenage girls who are sexually assaulted develop a mental health problem like post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. And 55% developed multiple mental health disorders.
6. Someone Is Assaulted Every 68 Seconds
An American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, according to RAINN. And every nine minutes, the sexual assault victim is a kid.
7. 92.1% of Sexual Assault Perpetrators Are Men
While it probably won’t surprise most people to learn that the majority of sexual assault perpetrators are male, it might come as a surprise to learn that 92.1% of people accused of committing sexual assault are male. That, of course, is nine in 10 people, which is mind-boggling.
It’s an unfortunate reality that sexual assault is all too common. And it’s something that can negatively impact just about anyone–leaving victims to try to pick up the pieces and hope for justice. Unfortunately, the many people who don’t report instances of sexual assault are denied justice.
