One of the things we know about sexual violence is that there is a lot of misinformation about it. Many of the things we have been taught or see in the media are inaccurate and some of them are only partially true.
Facts About Sexual Violence
- Most survivors are assaulted by someone they know. Studies show that more than 50 percent of rapes occur in the survivor’s home or living space; 33 percent of assaults happen in the daytime; 85 percent of rapes are committed by someone the survivor knows and, in some capacity, trusts.
- The responsibility for preventing rape is NOT on a potential survivor. We often hear about all the ways people can protect themselves from being sexually assaulted, but the responsibility completely falls on the person who sexually assaults. A survivor should not be blamed for someone else’s criminal acts.
- Consent should be an ongoing conversation. Consent communication should be freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic, and specific. This means that consent for one thing (like making out) does not mean there is consent for sexual activity. In addition, having consensual sex previously does not mean you have permission forever. Consent can be given and taken away at any point.
- People of all genders experience sexual assault. One in 16 men are sexually assaulted in their college years. Conversely, the vast majority of sexual assault is committed by men—98 percent. Those men commit sexual assault against women, men, trans people, and those who do not conform to gender norms.
- Survivors' responses vary. Some survivors might be really calm, while others might be confused or angry. There is no “right way” to react after being sexually assaulted. Assumptions about the way a survivor “should act” may be detrimental because every person reacts differently to trauma.
- The majority of sexual assault cases are not reported to law enforcement. For every incident of sexual assault or abuse reported, at least 80 are not. Rape or sexual assault is the violent crime least often reported to law enforcement, as survivors may fear retaliation or that they won’t be believed. Survivors have a right to report, but they are not obligated to.
- We all have a role to play in preventing sexual assault. Sexual assault is everyone’s problem. As Ducks, we are committed to taking this problem seriously, intervening when we see something wrong, and owning that it’s on each of us to end sexual violence.
References (for statistics in order of appearance):
- Lawrence A. Greenfeld, “Sex Offenses and Offenders: An Analysis of Data on Rape and Sexual Assault,” Bureau of Justice Statistics NCJ-163392 (1997).
- Lawrence A. Greenfeld, “Sex Offenses and Offenders: An Analysis of Data on Rape and Sexual Assault,” Bureau of Justice Statistics NCJ-163392 (1997).
- N. J. Salkind, ed., Encyclopedia of human development (Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2005).
- Jeffrey L. Sedgwick, “Criminal Victimization in the Unites States, 2005 Statistical Tables: National Crime Victimization Survey,” Bureau of Justice Statistics NCJ 215244 (2006).
- D. J. Kilpatrick, C. N. Edmunds, and A. Seymour, “Rape in America: A Report to the Nation,” National Victim Center and Crime Victims Research Center, University of South Carolina (1992).
- David Lisak, Lori Gardinier, Sarah C. Nicksa, and Ashley M. Cote, “False Allegations of Sexual Assault: An Analysis of Ten Years of Reported Cases,” Violence Against Women 16(12) 1318-1334 (2010). doi: 10.1177/1077801210387747.
Definitions
When someone is harmed, it can be hard to put a name on what they experienced and the person harmed is the only one who has the right to define what happened. We hope, however, by providing some definitions, students will understand what we mean when we use these terms and know what to expect when working with support services on campus. Please see our Prohibited Discrimination and Retaliation Policy for support and reporting options, and the definitions for:
- Harassment
- Sexual harassment
- Sexual misconduct
- Absence of affirmative consent
- Stalking
- Dating violence
- Domestic violence
- Sexual exploitation
- Retaliation
Knowing these definitions may help you understand how an experience of you or a friend may correspond to a violation of policy, and what resources are available for support.