Sexual Assault Statistics

  • People ages 12-34 are the highest risk years for rape and sexual assault.
    • In one study, most female victims (80 percent) experienced their first rape before the age of 25 and almost half (42 percent) experienced their first rape before age 18, according to the report.
  • 13% of all students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation (among all graduate and undergraduate students).
  • More than 50% of college sexual assaults occur in either August, September, October, or November.
  • Approximately 8 out of 10 sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim, such as in the case of intimate partner sexual violence or acquaintance rape.
  • 55% of assaults occur at or near the victim's home.
  • Sexual assault often results in no physical injuries to the victim. This doesn’t make their experience any less traumatic.
  • Rape is the most under-reported crime; 63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police.
  • Annually, rape costs the U.S. more than any other crime ($127 billion), followed by assault ($93 billion), murder ($71 billion), and drunk driving, including fatalities ($61 billion).
  • Individuals who live in low-income communities are 12 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than individuals who live in more wealthy communities.
  • Statistically, Black American women and men are more likely to be sexually victimized than White American women and men.

Sexual Assault Statistics - Male Victims

  • Nearly 1 in 38 men have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime.
  • About 1 in 4 male victims reported their first rape happened between 11-17 years old.
  • 1 in 9 men have experienced some type of non-contact unwanted sexual experience in their lifetime.
  • More than half (52.4%) of men reported being raped by an acquaintance and 15.1% reported rape by a stranger.

Child Sexual Abuse Statistics

  • One in 9 girls and 1 in 53 boys under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault at the hands of an adult.
  • Most cases of child sexual abuse involve family members or caregivers who are known to the child.
  • Although most individuals who sexually abuse children are male, some are female.
  • Females are five times more likely to be abused than males.
  • Females ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.
  • Race is an important factor in identified sexual abuse. Black American children have almost twice the risk of sexual abuse than White American children. Children of Hispanic Americans have a slightly greater risk than non-Hispanic White American children.
  • Children who live in rural areas are almost two times more likely to be identified as victims of child sexual abuse.
  • Children who witness or are the victim of other crimes are significantly more likely to be sexually abused.
  • The effects of child sexual abuse can be long-lasting and affect the victim's mental health.