Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month calls attention to the fact that sexual violence is widespread and it brings advocates and communities together to help prevent these crimes.
Every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 9 minutes, that victim is a child.
Sexual violence is sexual activity when consent is not obtained or freely given. It is a serious public health problem in the United States that profoundly impacts lifelong health, opportunity, and well-being. Sexual violence impacts every community and affects people of all genders, sexual orientations, and ages. Anyone can experience or perpetrate sexual violence.
The perpetrator of sexual violence is usually someone the victim knows, such as a friend, current or former intimate partner, coworker, neighbor, or family member. Sexual violence can occur in person, online, or through technology, such as posting or sharing sexual pictures of someone without their consent, or non-consensual sexting. www.cdc.gov
- 13% of all students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitations (among all graduate and undergraduate students).
- Among undergraduate students, 26.4% of females and 6.8% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation.
- Among graduate and professional students, 9.7% of females and 2.5% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.
The consequences of sexual violence are physical, like bruising and genital injuries, and psychological, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
The consequences may also be chronic. Victims may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, experience re-occurring reproductive, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and sexual health problems.
Sexual violence is also linked to negative health behaviors. For example, victims are more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol, use drugs, and engage in risky sexual activity.
https://www.dea.gov/stories/2022/2022-04/2022-04-11/sexual-assault-awareness-prevention-month