TeenHealthFX - Answers - Several Questions On Rape

Sexual Assault & Rape / Question
Published: June 24, 2009

Dear TeenHealthFX,

hello, i was reading your website about rape statistics and i read that about 500,000 women are raped every year. I wanted to know if most people who are raped report the incident. do most people take legal precaustions against their attacker, becaus ei heard that only 13% of rape cases actaully get taken to court. i was also wondering if you could tell me why people rape other people. i was told it had nothing to do with an actually sexual craving, but it had everything to do with the need to control someone, or have power over someone. I thought that was malarky so i figured i would ask you fine people. Do you know what happens to pople who are taken advantage of? do they heal eventuially or do they like kills themselves. Are men raped as often as girls are? is incestual rape at a high precentage? do rapists ever feel bad afterward? Just wondering.

Signed: Several Questions On Rape

Dear Several Questions On Rape,

How Many People Are Raped Each Year?

· In 2007, 248,300 people in the U.S. were victims of sexual assault; that averages to a sexual assault occurring every 2 minutes

How Many Females Are Raped Each Year Compared To Males?

· 1 in 6 women will be raped in their lifetime compared with 1 in 33 men.

How Often Is Incest Committed?

· 7% of rapes are committed by a relative of the victim

Do Most People Report Being Raped?

· 60% of sexual assaults are not reported

· Males are the least likely to report being the victim of a sexual assault

Why Do People Commit Rape?

It is a common misconception that rape is about a person trying to get sex. Research shows that men who commit sexual crimes do so to gain a sense of power and authority, while women who commit sexual crimes do so to maintain or establish an emotional relationship. Sexual activity is the means to achieve these things, not the end goal in and of itself. Think about this – only 3% of men who commit sexual crimes with other males consider themselves to be gay. This would make sense if the crime is more about power than it is about sex.

It is also a common misconception that people who have been sexually abused will definitely become abusers themselves. Research has actually shown that a person is more likely to commit a sex crime if they had a history of being neglected as a child more so than if they were sexually abused as a child.

Who Are Rapists?

Characteristics:

· Average age of a rapist is 31 years old

· 52% are white

· 22% of imprisoned rapists say they are married

· In 1 in 3 sexual assaults the perpetrator was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol

2/3 of all rapes are committed by someone known to the victim.

· 73% are non-strangers

· 38% are a friend or acquaintance

· 28% are intimately known to the victim

· 7% are relatives of the victims

Rapists are usually serial criminals, not serial rapists. 46% of rapists released from prison were re-arrested within 3 years for another crime:

· 18.6% were violent offenses

· 14.8% were property offenses

· 11.2 were drug offenses

· 20.5 were public order offenses

Where and When Is Rape Most Likely To Occur?

Where:

· 50% occur within 1 mile of home or at the home

· 4 in 10 take place at the victim’s home

· 2 in 10 take place at the home of a friend, neighbor, or relative

· 1 in 12 take place in a parking garage

When:

· 43% take place between 6pm and midnight

· 33% take place between 6:00am and 6:00pm

· 24% take place between midnight and 6am

What Is The Prognosis of People Who Have Been Raped?

Rape can significantly impact a person emotionally and psychologically. People who have been the victim of a sexual assault are:

· 3x more likely to suffer from depression

· 6x more likely to suffer from PTSD

· 13x more likely to abuse alcohol

· 26x more likely to abuse drugs

· 4x more likely to contemplate suicide

Most professionals agree that treatment cannot ensure a complete and total recovery for a victim of rape, as the experience will always be there for the person to some degree. It is also generally agreed upon that being sexually assaulted is not something that people will just get over – that it will take time and effort to heal. However, victims of sexual assault who reach out for the medical and mental health treatment, and/or the encouragement and support of friends and loved ones, significantly benefit from the help and are more able to cope with what they experienced in a healthy way.

TeenHealthFX retrieved the statistics listed above from the RAINN website. Please visit their statistics webpage for more statistics related to rape.

FX has done our best to answer your questions, and we do hope these answers are helpful to you. Although we do wonder what makes you so curious about this topic. Have you been raped, do you know someone who has been raped, or have you or someone you know committed rape? If you, or anyone else, has been raped or has raped FX strongly recommends that treatment be sought out as soon as possible.

Keep in mind that if someone is raped, it is important not to wash or bathe, but to get to a hospital as soon as possible so a rape kit can be done for legal matters. After that, ensuring that professional treatment, support, and guidance are in place is absolutely essential.

· Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), 24 hours, 7days a week.

· If you live in New Jersey you can contact JBWS (Jersey Battered Women’s Services) at 973-267-4763. This phone number is a 24 hour confidential helpline. Outside of NJ you can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) – 1-800-787-3224 (TTY line for deaf callers) – 24 hours, 7days a week.

· Call the Sexual Abuser Treatment Referral Line at 1-802-247-3132, Monday-Friday from 9am-4:30pm if you are interested in locating a treatment provider for an individual with sexual behavior problems.

Signed: TeenHealthFX