The statistics are becoming more well-known, and they are staggering. Approximately 22 million American women and girls have been raped/sexually abused, as well as 1.6 million men and boys.
One thing is for sure—rape is never the victim’s fault. And that’s the summation of the quote below that has been circulating social media and is linked to Macabretrash on Tumblr. It’s sort of a “Rape for Dummies” guideline, and it’s spot on.
Rape
If rape was about how revealing their clothes were, rape rates would quadruple during the summer.
But they don’t.
If rape was about how much sex someone’s had in the past, then virgins wouldn’t get raped.
But they do.
If rape was about how attractive a person was by conventional standards, then only thin, white, abled people would get raped.
But they don’t.
If rape was about how much they drank, then sober people wouldn’t get raped.
But they do.
Rape is not the victims fault.
Former Republican lawmaker, Todd Akin, was leading his campaign for re-election in 2012, that is, until he said that women who are victims of what he called "legitimate rape," rarely get pregnant. Word is Todd Akin still doesn’t “get it” and that seems to be the case for many ignorant and misogynistic Americans.
There is no excuse.
Young people are especially at risk: nearly half of female survivors were raped before they were 18, and over one-quarter of male survivors were raped before they were 10.
College students are particularly vulnerable: 1 in 5 women has been sexually assaulted while in college.
Another disturbing statistic is over a third of women who were raped as minors were also raped as adults.
- The vast majority (nearly 98%) of perpetrators are male.
Many victims have never reported their rapes fearing ridicule, victim-blaming, threats, more abuse... and some just want to block/numb the experience out. Repeat victimization is common and rape and sexual assault can have a long-lasting/lifetime physical and mental health effect on victims:
Physical Health
According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, between 2005-2010, 58% of all female victims of sexual assault sustained an injury. Women who are raped or stalked by any perpetrator or physically assaulted by an intimate partner are more likely to have asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, and diabetes, and are also more likely to suffer from chronic pain, frequent headaches, and difficulty sleeping than non-victims. A study of women in North Carolina indicated that survivors of sexual assault were more likely to smoke, to have high cholesterol and hypertension, and to be obese. African American women ages 18-24 who are sexually assaulted are nearly five times more likely to test positive for a high-risk HPV infection. Also, survivors of intimate partner rape or sexual assault are more likely than non-victims to contract sexually-transmitted infections, and are also more likely to report HIV risk factors, such as unprotected sex, injection drug use and alcohol abuse.
Mental Health
Survivors also suffer from a wide range of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One study found that over half of survivors who were forcibly raped while under the influence of alcohol or drugs developed lifetime PTSD. These victims were also almost five times more likely to have lifetime major depressive episodes than non-victims.
The thing is—there is help:
The National Sexual Assault Hotline was the nation’s first decentralized hotline, connecting those in need with help in their local communities. It’s made up of a network of independent sexual assault service providers, vetted by RAINN, who answer calls to a single, nationwide hotline number. Since it was first created in 1994, the National Sexual Assault Hotline has helped over 2 million people impacted by sexual violence.
Anyone impacted by sexual assault, whether it happened to you or someone you care about, can find support on the National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and online.rainn.org. You can also visit online.rainn.org to receive support via confidential online chat.
Note: If you or someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Via