MYTH VS REALITY
Myth: Rape is only committed by strangers.
TRUTH: Two-thirds of rape victims report a prior relation
with the offender. In 2000, about 80% of rape or sexual assault victims
stated the offender was a boyfriend or girlfriend, other relative, a friend
or an acquaintance.
Myth: Women lead men on. Sometimes they are just asking
to be raped.
TRUTH: No one ever asks to be raped. Forcing someone
to engage in sexual activity against their will is sexual assault –
regardless of the way that person dresses or acts.
Myth: Rape is “no big deal.”
TRUTH: About one in three women who are injured during
a rape or physical assault require medical care. Rape victims can also
experience negative mental health outcomes and are more likely to engage
in harmful behaviors to cope with the trauma, such as drinking, smoking,
or using drugs.
Myth: A woman can’t be raped against her will.
Anyone can stop rape if they really want to stop it.
TRUTH: Anytime someone forces sexual activity, it is
rape. Rape victims can face threats of force, be under the influence of
drugs/alcohol, or even be asleep. Regardless of the situation, sex against
someone’s will is rape.
Myth: A person who has really been sexually assaulted
will be hysterical.
TRUTH: There is no “right way” to react to
sexual assault. Sexual assault victims can be calm, hysterical, withdrawn,
angry, in denial, or in shock.
Myth: I don’t know anyone who’s ever been
raped.
TRUTH: Rape victims are doctors, lawyers, nurses, military
personnel, cooks, accountants, or anyone. Less than one-third of rape
and sexual assaults are reported to the police.
Myth: Rape doesn’t happen very often.
TRUTH: 1 out of every 6 adult women has been a victim
of rape.
Myth: Men can’t be raped.
TRUTH: Approximately 92,700 men are raped each year in
the U.S.
FACTS ABOUT RAPE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE
What is “Sexual Violence”?
Sexual violence is committed anytime a person forces, coerces, or manipulates
another person into ANY unwanted or harmful sexual activity.
What is “Rape”?
“Rape” is commonly used to refer to the broad range of sexual
violence, as it is throughout this Fact Sheet. However, under Kentucky
law, “rape” means sexual violence that includes sexual intercourse,
i.e. where there is penetration of the sex organs.
What is “Force” or “Coercion”?
Perpetrators most often use threats, coercion, or manipulation to get
what they want. Examples include:
Physically holding a person down or restraining a person’s movement
Making direct or indirect threats against a person, her/his family, reputation,
etc.
Blackmailing someone into having sex
Using or displaying a weapon
What is “Consent”?
Consent means permission, given by someone who is legally able to give
consent.
A person is not able to give consent (under Kentucky law - KRS 510.020),
if that person is:
Less than 16 years old,
Physically helpless or mentally incapacitated (including someone who is
severely intoxicated),
Mentally retarded
Silence is NOT consent! Neither is submission..
What is Rape About?
Rape is NOT about an act of sex or about the perpetrator being desperate
or lonely.
Rape IS an act of violence, power, and control.
How Many People Are Raped?
1 in 6 women has been the victim of a completed or attempted rape in her
lifetime, according to national surveys. The definition of rape used for
the surveys included forced vaginal, oral, or anal sex.1
1 in 33 men has been the victim of a completed or attempted rape sometime
in his lifetime, according to the same surveys.1
1 in 9 adult women in Kentucky has been “forcibly raped” at
sometime in her life, according to estimates. That totals more than 175,000
women! This number does not include alcohol- or drug-facilitated rape,
attempted rape, “statutory rape” (sex with someone under 16
without explicit force), or other forms of sexual violence.2
Who Are the Offenders?
Though many people are most afraid of being raped by a stranger, people
are much more likely to be raped by someone they know.
70% of female rape victims know the offender, either as a “friend,”
acquaintance, intimate partner, or relative.3
Over 98% of offenders are male.4
88% of offenders are the same race as the victim.4
Who Are the Victims?
It is most important to remember that anyone can be a victim of a sexual
violence! Rapists do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, or gender,
but often take advantage of access, trust, and vulnerability.
Young people are at the highest risk of being raped. Of those who report
to police, 29% of rape victims are between 12 and 17, another 15% of rape
victims are under 12. Approximately 80% of rape victims are under age
30.4
Though most rape victims are Caucasian (White), African-American people
(Black) are raped at a higher rate.3
Females are more likely than males to be victims of sexual violence.
What Are Common Elements of Rape?
Nearly 6 out of 10 rapes occur in the victim’s home or at the home
of a friend, neighbor, or relative.4
In the majority of cases, the offender is someone that the victim knows,
either as a brief acquaintance, “friend,” family member, or
intimate partner (boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse).
Most survivors do not immediately get treatment for injuries. Only 32%
of rape and attempted rape survivors are treated for injuries. Only 27%
of victims of other types of sexual violence are treated for injuries.5
How Are Alcohol, Drugs, and Other Weapons Used by Rapists?
More than half of women raped by an acquaintance reported consuming alcohol
or other drugs. 75% of men involved consumed alcohol or other drugs.1
Offenders have and/or use traditional weapons, such as guns and knives,
in about 8% of all rapes and other sexual assaults.3
What Are “Date Rape” Drugs?
Alcohol is the drug most widely used to facilitate rape. Perpetrators
often target someone who is already drunk or provide alcohol to ensure
that a targeted person gets drunk.
GHB (“Liquid Ecstasy”), Rohypnol (“Ruffies”),
and Ketamine (“Special K”) are commonly used to facilitate
rape. These drugs can be tasteless, odorless, and colorless. They may
cause a person to become “drunk” very quickly, and pass out
for up to 12 hours. One may have no memory or only partial memory. Response
varies depending on dosage.
It is always important to watch your drinks – alcohol or otherwise!
What Are the Impacts on Survivors?
Survivors experience a range of trauma symptoms –emotionally, physically,
and behaviorally.
Survivors commonly experience fear, anxiety, grief, guilt, shame, anger,
and confusion. In the long-run, survivors are at greater risk for mental
health problems than are those who have never been sexually assaulted.
Approximately 30% experience major depression, serious suicidal thoughts,
and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Long-term physical impacts include sexually transmitted infections, unplanned
pregnancies/child-birth, eating disorders, sleep disorders, and use of
alcohol and/or other drugs.
Most survivors say their experiences permanently change them. Many say
they would rather have died than survived the assault.
What Should You Do if You Are Raped?
Talk to someone! You don’t have to get through this alone. If there
may be immediate danger, call the police. You can reach the 24-Hour Rape
Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). Get medical attention to make sure
you aren’t injured internally. You should also be tested for sexual
transmitted infections and pregnancy. If you were assaulted recently,
evidence can be collected using a “Sexual Assault Kit.” This
usually happens at a hospital. A local Rape Crisis Center and the police
will probably be contacted. In order to preserve evidence, do not shower,
change clothes, urinate, or brush your teeth.
No matter when the violence occurred, you can get information and support
from a local rape crisis center by calling 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
#1 Marital rape is an extremely prevalent form of sexual violence
#2 Approximately 10-14% of married women experience marital rape
#3 Estimated that marital rape accounts for approximately 25% of all rapes
#4 Marital rape is just as serious as other forms of sexual violence
#5 Marital rape is a criminal offense in all 50 states
#6 In Kentucky, marital rape and other spousal sexual assaults
are prosecuted using the same laws as all other sexual assaults
#7 Marital rape is VERY DANGEROUS
Contrary to the popular belief that marital rape is less serious than
other rapes, marital rape often signifies exceptionally dangerous relationships.
Women are at particularly high risk for being raped by their partners
under the following circumstances:
• women who are married to domineering men who view wives as “property”
• women who are in physically violent relationships
• women who are pregnant, ill, or recovering from surgery
• women who are separated or divorced
Marital rape survivors can get help
Survivors should not be reluctant to seek help after marital rape - contact
your local domestic violence, rape crisis program, or the 24-hour rape
crisis hotline 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs (KASAP) 1-866-375-2727
www.kasap.org
Kentucky Domestic Violence Association (KDVA) 502-209-KDVA (5382)
www.kdva.org
24-Hour Rape Crisis Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
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