CHAPTER TWO
Reality Check! Facts and Statistics

Did you know that:

Sexual assault is one of the most under-reported crimes today. In fact, the FBI estimates that roughly 15% of sexual assault victims report the crime to the police, and less than 8% of those reported cases are then prosecuted. This could be the victim embarrassed about what happened or believed they did something to make it happen. Victims of sexual assault usually know their attacker and had reason to trust them and believe that they would not be harmed. The attacker takes advantage of this trust and uses threat, force or trickery in order to gain access to the victim. Many victims don't tell anyone because the attacker convinces them that no one will believe them or scares them by saying they will physically harm the victim or someone close to them if they tell. This is especially true for children.

• Nationally, 85% of all sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim. Statistics complied by the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault over the past several years show that approximately 80% of the people who called the support hotline knew their assailant.
• You can contact your local sexual assault center support hotline by dialing 1-800-871-7741.
• 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys will be sexually victimized before the age of 18 and 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will be sexually victimized in their lifetime.
• Approximately 50% of child sexual violence involves incest.
• Nearly 27% of all reported rapes occur within the victim's home. An additional 20% occur at, in or near a friend or relative's home.
• Most sexual assaults do not include apparent physical injuries.
• Intimate partner rapes are the most physically violent.

75% OF ASSAULTS INVOLVE DRUGS OR ALCOHOL

Over the decades, alcohol and other sedating substances have been misused to involuntarily sedate individuals for purposes of committing a sexual assault. Some of the drugs used to sedate victims today include: alcohol, gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), scopolamine, burundanga and ketamine. Street names for these drugs include:

• GHB: liquid ecstasy, liquid x, grievous bodily harm and easy lay.
• Ketamine: Special K.
• Rohypnol: roofies, roaches, la rocha and the forget pill.

The above statistics are frightening and are an indication that all of us are at risk of being sexually assaulted. In the following chapters are some tips on keeping yourself safe and how you can identify potentially dangerous situations.

Chapter One  •  Chapter Two  •  Chapter Three  •  Chapter Four  •  Chapter Five  •  Chapter Six  •  Chapter Seven  •  Chapter Eight  •  Sexual Assault Centers  •  Domestic Violence Projects  •  Table of Contents