Sexual Assault Facts
Sexual assault is a form of abuse that involves one or more people forcing, coercing, and/or manipulating another person in order to gain sexual contact. Sexual assault can include rape (a forced sexual act that includes oral, anal or vaginal penetration.); unwanted touching, fondling, or kissing; forcing someone to look at or pose for pornographic material; or forced oral sex.
Sexual assault is a violent crime that involves power, aggression and control. Rape and sexual assault are never the victim/survivor’s fault. Sexual assault can happen anywhere, anytime of day, to anyone regardless of age, class, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexuality or gender.
Across the United States...
It is estimated that 1 of every 6 women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime, according to the Rape Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN). This number is about 1 in 33 for American men. Approximately 15% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12.
According to RAINN, 73% of sexual assaults were perpetrated by a non-stranger, and more than 50% of all rape/sexual assault incidents were reported by victims to have occurred within 1 mile of their home or at their home. The average age of a rapist is 31 years old, and 52% are white. 22% of imprisoned rapists report that they are married.
Across SC…
5,104 primary victims of sexual assault received services from the 16 direct service sexual assault centers across the state in 2010: 4,188 Female, 768 Male, and 148 Unidentified. 2,460 secondary victims of sexual assault were served by these programs (including individuals other than the primary victims directly affected by the crime such as: significant others, children, friends, etc.). 7,207 emergency hotline calls were answered by these programs in 2010.
In 2010, according to the 16 Direct Service Rape Crisis Centers across SC, of the perpetrators that could be identified, 316 were female, 3,218 were male, and the gender of 688 was unknown. Of these, 999 were friends or acquaintances, 827 were a parent or stepparent, and 472 were some other relative.
In 2010, across SC, There were 1,439 cases of forcible rape reported to law enforcement. According to the SC Law Enforcement Division, South Carolina’s rape rate has exceeded the national rate since 1982. In that same year, the 16 direct service sexual assault centers in SC served 5,104 primary victims of sexual assault, 28.5% of whom were 11 years of age or younger. Perpetrators of this violence included parents, friends or acquaintances of the victim, co-workers, health professionals and other trusted individuals. Only 4.8% of victims were assaulted by someone they did not know prior to the incident.