APRIL 2018 marks the onset of
Sexual Assault Awareness Month, making it a
perfect opportunity for activists to debunk some dangerous myths
and misconceptions about the crime of RAPE, many of which actively prevent
victims from receiving the medical and psychological care they need to heal. Start out by educating classmates, faculty, and staff about the legal definitions of rape
and sexual assault, then move on to the following essentials. All of
these facts cover a wide range of information regarding the spectrum of
sexual violence, from the verbal to the physical.
WASHINGTON—Attorney General Eric Holder today announced revisions to the
Uniform Crime Report’s (UCR) definition of rape, which will lead to a
more comprehensive statistical reporting of rape nationwide. The new
definition is more inclusive, better reflects state criminal codes and
focuses on the various forms of sexual penetration understood to be
rape.
The new definition of rape is: “The penetration, no matter how
slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral
penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the
victim.” The definition is used by the FBI to collect information from
local law enforcement agencies about reported rapes."
“Rape is a devastating crime and we can’t solve it unless we know the
full extent of it,” said Vice President Biden, a leader in the effort to
end violence against women for over 20 years and author of the landmark
Violence Against Women Act. “This long - awaited change to the definition
of rape is a victory for women and men across the country whose
suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years.” “These long overdue updates to the definition of rape will help ensure
justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence
and reflect the Department of Justice’s commitment to standing with rape
victims,” Attorney General Holder said. “This new, more inclusive
definition will provide us with a more accurate understanding of the
scope and volume of these crimes.”
(http://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/attorney-general-eric-holder-announces-revisions-to-the-uniform-crime-reports-definition-of-rape )   -
Far more organizations, governments, and schools recognize this fact than just the linked-up Marion County, Oregon.
In reality, rape and sexual assault victims (who hail from every single
demographic imaginable) could be wearing anything at all when the crime
occurs; such atrocities are the result of power hunger rather than
lust, and foisting the responsibility onto the victim only amplifies
their trauma. -
Of these, 79% of the men and 78% of the women expressed reticence
when it came time to file complaints, meaning escalating numbers
probably don’t indicate an increase in incidents so much as more
willingness to report them. Females were most likely to cite discomfort
as their primary reason for holding back (58%), whereas 60% of men
thought sexual assault wasn’t significant enough to report. -
According to the CDC surveys, at least. But dredging up definitive
statistics on just how many men and boys have been raped and sexually
assaulted proves a tricky venture, as the prevailing stigmas against
victimhood mean so many feel too ashamed to report crimes. Because of
this, males on the receiving end of the trauma face an increased risk of
depression, self-harm, and substance abuse. Male sexual assault is most
commonly found in prisons — according to a survey conducted by the
Human Rights Watch, Texas has the highest rate of inmate-on-inmate assault but Nebraska ranks highest for staff-on-inmate assault. -
Once again, though, the numbers might skew higher than that because
of fear and victim-blaming. Compared to 0.9% of men, 2.5% of women
reported sexual assault and rape occurred within the past 12 months. -
Columbia University
states that studies show around 30% of individuals suffering from
eating disorders – mostly women – also experienced rape or sexual
assault prior to the illness’ onset. Some of these estimate that a
victim’s risk of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating
disorder, and/or EDNOS might actually double. -
Every state recognizes this, although they tend to prosecute sexually
violent husbands and wives differently than their unmarried
equivalents. Only recently were the laws reworded to make sure the
rights of victimized spouses were properly protected, however, and in
many parts of the world marital rape and assault are still considered
perfectly legal. -
Prevailing myths painting rapists and sexual assailants as proverbial
strangers jumping out of the bushes couldn’t be further from the
reality. The vast majority of victims knew the criminals before the
incident or incidents took place; friends and acquaintances were the
most likely to commit the crime at a rate of 38%, followed by intimate
partners (28%), and relatives (7%). -
A further one out of five will be raped while attending college, and
the statistics paint them as one of the most vulnerable groups to sexual
victimization. Washington University alone ranked 12 in the most dangerous schools, with 22 counts of forced rape in addition to other crimes. -
Whether out of ignorance for what legally constitutes rape and sexual
assault or just not caring, this statistic is certainly a terrifying
one. Especially since 35.5% of college students were victimized by a
classmate – more than friends (34.2%), partners or exes (23.7%), and
acquaintances (2.6%). -
Even more disturbingly, one in five who did rape or sexually assault a
female classmate cited a complete lack of self-control as their prime
motivator. They admit they place their sexual urges over whether or not
the victim in question wanted to take part. -
Over 75% of college rapes and sexual assault involve intoxicants of some sort
Either present in the bloodstream of one or more of the involved
parties, although victims are still not to blame. Many of these
traumatic incidents occur when the man and/or woman on the receiving end
wind up too drunk or drugged to fend off their attackers and give a
definitive “NO!” when propositioned for sexual activity. -
These reports may or may not come partnered with other forms of
abuse, such as neglect or physical violence. Many of these victims were
children with behavioral (3.9%) or emotional (3.2%) disabilities, with a
further 5.2% suffering from some other medical condition – though the
data doesn’t always reflect sexual abuse. Eighty-one point three percent
of total incidents were perpetuated by a parent or a parent and an
accomplice, with 37.2% involving just the mother, 19.1% involving just
the father, and 18.5% involving both. -
Statistics on exactly how prevalent the most popular date rape drugs truly are prove difficult to come by,
though a study by Canada’s Coalition Against Violence shows ketamine,
ecstasy, rohypnol (“roofies”), and GHB as those typically encountered.
Rapists hoping to incapacitate their victims usually combine these with
alcohol in order to increase their efficacy, though they can be ingested
alone – even consensually – as well. Because victims fear judgment over
having drugs and alcohol in their system, their hesitance to report the
crime makes it difficult for lawmakers and healthcare providers to
receive a clear picture of how far the problem extends. -
Probably the major reason nobody can establish a tangible grasp on
how wide date rape drugging spreads is how often they manage to stymie
routine blood and urine tests. The National Drug Intelligence Center
says the human body metabolizes the most common substances so quickly,
the victims who have ingested them have usually already passed them by
the time help arrives or a report is filed. -
Tel Aviv University chemistry professors Fernando Patolsky and
Michael Ioffe have made headway on a straw capable of detecting ketamine
and GHB (with plans for rohypnol) in beverages thanks to a
sophisticated censor. While not available commercially, this research
certainly stands as an excellent building block helping to keep women
and men both safe from sexual predators. -
However, the U.S. Department of Justice’s statistics only report the
victimization of individuals over the age of 12. Which unfortunately
means the exact number of Americans reporting rape and sexual assaults
is much higher than that. -
RAINN’s took the Department of Justice’s findings and number-crunched
them to discover that this means a sexual assault and rape take place
roughly once every two minutes. Beyond American borders, the numbers
fluctuate, of course, but every incident is a terrible, needless one. -
One of the horrifying myths genuinely preventing victims from coming
forward with their stories – and even reporting the crimes in question –
paints them almost universally as liars out to get back at or something
from the accused. This, in turn, denies them the justice, support, and treatment necessary to heal.
In reality, 2008 saw only 5.8% of cases deemed “unfounded” by the FBI.
Thanks to victim-blaming popular assumptions, verifiable cases of rape
and sexual assault are considered heavily under reported. -
Keep in mind that the numbers offered by the Bureau of Justice
Statistics only cover female victims of sexual assault, rape, and
attempted rape. Between 1992 and 2000, 45% of reported cases sought
medical assistance, compared to only 22% of nonreported. Every single
rape committed during that time frame resulted in mild to severe
physical damage, as did 29% of attempted rapes and 17% of sexual
assaults. -
The National Institutes of Health, the CDC, and other government
institutions recognize verbal abuse of a sexual nature as a form of
sexual assault. While it obviously causes no physical damage and does
not require the same intervention tactics as an incident that does, the
feds still consider it a crime. Sexual violence exists along a spectrum
of severity, with milder words on one end and the most horrifying
examples of rape on the other. Purely verbal assaults can still result
in extended mental and emotional trauma, however, and should be taken seriously. -
Of these, 16.3% were filed by male employees, busting up myths that
only women wind up victimized by workplace sexual harassment. These
statistics come courtesy of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission. -
According to the EEOC, people unable or unwilling to practice
courtesy and discretion in the workplace wind up costing their employers
(and themselves) obscene amounts of money. Funny enough, the statistics
available don’t include monetary rewards that come about because of a
lawsuit. -
Sociologist Holly Kearl set about collecting the world’s first
definitive data on street harassment, or verbal and physical sexual
assault happening in a public space. Depending on the nation, anywhere
between 80% to 100% of responding women said they had been followed,
whistled at, groped, honked at, or received unwanted comments of a
sexual nature. She also noted the psychological results of the
incidents, which ranged from changing daily routes and moving to
triggering traumatic memories of previous assaults and rapes. -
Where to get help
Always call the police in the event of an emergency. Domestic
violence and family shelters almost always accept rape and sexual
assault victims who need a place to stay – and if they have no room on
hand, will always point them in the direction of someone who does. The
vast majority of colleges and universities also offer resources, and
completely free counseling, for men and women traumatized by sexual
violence. Be sure to know where and how they work and what services they
provide. At the national level, RAINN and Take Back the Night are the two biggest organizations devoted to victim advocacy and sexual assault and rape prevention and care. http://www.bachelorsdegreeonline.com/blog/2012/25-facts-to-share-at-your-school-during-sexual-assault-awareness-month/
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