Rape Facts

Rape is a crime. It is never the victim's fault.

Stranger Rape

  • Only 22% of rapists are strangers to victims.
  • For victims, she/he may fear being alone or leaving home.

Acquaintance 

  • Most people are raped by someone they know – 78%. 
  • Assault may not be seen as rape by victim’s family and friends, leading to feelings of guilt. 
  • Rapists rarely feel like they’ve done anything wrong. 

Substance Related 

  • Drugs and alcohol reduces the ability of the victim to defend her or himself. 
  • Makes it difficult to remember the attack. 
  • Victims may feel guilty if they were using drugs or alcohol. Family may also blame victim. 

This affects everyone.


By the Numbers
  • An estimated 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will experience a sexual assault within their lifetime. (Rennison, C., U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2000) 
  • 35.8% of rapes are reported to the police. (U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2004) 
  • 86% of adolescent sexual assaults went unreported. (Youth Victimization, U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2003) 
  • In response to a recent survey of women with physical disabilities, 66% reported sexual abuse. (Wayne State University, U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2004)
  • Nearly 7 in 10 rape and sexual assault victims knew their attacker prior to their assault. (Rennison, C., U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2000) 
  • In 2001, Pennsylvania police reported that on average nine rapes were reported each day or one rape every 2 hours and 47 minutes. Law enforcement officials recognize rape as one of the most under-reported crimes. 
  • Persons under 18 years of age account for 67% of all sexual assault victimizations reported to law enforcement agencies. (Snyder, 2000) 
  • Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects an estimated 1/3 of all rape victims, often for an extended period of time. One-third who are raped contemplate suicide and 17% attempt suicide. (National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, 2004) 
  • The U.S. Department of Justice documents more than 111,000 cases of male rape each year. (Tjaden, P and Thoennes, N., 1998) 
  • In 2003, there were 4,598 substantiated reports of sexual violence injuries to Pennsylvania children, representing 693 minivans full of children. 
  • Acquaintance rape is more common than left-handedness, heart attacks or alcoholism. ( I Never Called it Rape by Robin Warshaw) 
  • 83% of girls and 79% of boys report that they have been sexually harassed during their school lives. (American Assoc. of University Women Education Foundation, 2001) 
  • According to a national survey of college women, less than 5% of completed and attempted rapes were reported to the police. (Fisher, Cullen and Turner, U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2000) 
  • 90% of rape victims attending colleges know their offenders. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000) 
  • Female freshman are at the highest risk for sexual or physical assault from the day they arrive on campus until Thanksgiving break. (Campus Outreach Services, 2003) 
  • 48.8% of college women who were victims of attacks that met this study’s definition of rape did not consider what happened to them rape.