MYTHS & FACTS ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE

MYTH: Rape is only committed by weirdos and strangers.

FACT: MOST PEOPLE ARE RAPED BY SOMEONE THEY KNOW AND TRUST. Rapists are usually people who look and act the same as everybody else.

MYTH: Most victims are raped by strangers, in unfamiliar places or on dark nights.

FACT: It is estimated that 80-85% of rapists are known to the person

they attack. “Acquaintance rape” by a friend, new acquaintance, or coworker is frequent, particularly among young, single women. Statistics show that 50% of sexual assaults occur in or around a woman’s home, 50% during the day.

MYTH: It could never happen to me.

FACT: ALL PEOPLE ARE POTENTIAL VICTIMS. Males and females of any age, race, class, religion, occupation, sexual orientation, education, or physical description can be sexually assaulted.

MYTH: Only women are sexually assaulted or raped, and only by men.

FACT: Both men and women can be sexually assaulted or raped, and the perpetrator can be male or female with any sexual orientation.

MYTH: Only pretty, young women get sexually assaulted.

FACT: SEXUAL ASSAULT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE. Sexual assault is not about sex or being sexy. Attackers don’t just victimize women of all ages, but also men of all ages, people who are disabled, attractive people, and
unattractive people.

MYTH: Rape is a one-on-one encounter.

FACT: Only 57% of rapes involve one perpetrator. 16% involve 2 perpetrators and 27% involve 3 or more perpetrators. 

MYTH: Perpetrators of sexual assault come largely from certain races or backgrounds.

FACT: Men and women of all races, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientations, economic and social classes are represented among perpetrators.

MYTH: It’s not rape if the couple is dating or is married.

FACT: Unwanted sexual activity in any relationship qualifies as sexual assault.

MYTH: If a woman agrees to some degree of sexual intimacy, she wants to have sexual intercourse. 

FACT: Any person has the right to agree to any degree of sexual intimacy they feel comfortable with at that moment, and to not go any further if they do not wish.  A person may feel comfortable with one kind of sexual activity but not with another- or decide she/he is not ready for further intimacy.

MYTH: If you’re drunk, high, or wearing sexy clothes, it’s your own fault if you get raped.

FACT: NO ONE WANTS TO BE RAPED. It is never the victim’s fault that s/he was raped. That would be like saying if you go to a bank, it is your own fault if you get shot during a bank hold-up. Rape is a violent crime.

MYTH: People sometimes ‘ask for it’ by the way they dress or act.

FACT: MOST SEXUAL ASSAULTS ARE PLANNED. Research shows that attackers are looking for available, vulnerable targets. Attackers are not looking for people who dress in a certain way. No one asks to be hurt, degraded, or attacked.

MYTH: When a man gets turned on he has to have sex. A man cannot control his sexual urges.

FACT: MEN DO NOT PHYSICALLY NEED SEX AFTER BECOMING AROUSED. In fact, rape is not about the need to have sex. Sex is only the weapon. Rape is about the need to hurt, control, and humiliate other people.

MYTH: It is not really possible to rape a non-consenting adult.

FACT: IT IS INDEED POSSIBLE TO RAPE A NON-CONSENTING ADULT. Shock, fear of death, threat of violence, or physical brutality can immobilize anyone.

MYTH: If you don’t fight back, you haven’t really been raped.

FACT: YOU HAVE BEEN RAPED WHEN YOU ARE FORCED TO HAVE SEX AGAINST YOUR WILL. Rape is a terrifying crime and often your life and/or your loved ones are in danger. Everyone responds differently to rape in order to survive.

MYTH: Women often falsely accuse men of sexual assault or rape (for example, to get back at them, or because they regret or feel guilty about having sex).

FACT: Nearly all rapes are truthfully reported, and, in fact, rapes are vastly under-reported.

MYTH: In a rape, the person who is raped is the only one who suffers.

FACT: Sexual assault affects the victim’s family, friends, and neighbors.  The fear of sexual assault affects all women.  The economic costs of sexual assault affect us all.  Sexual assault is a societal problem.

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