Learn more about Sexual Violence

What is Sexual Violence?

Sexual violence includes any sexual activity that lacks freely-given consent. Sexual violence impacts people from every kind of background, age, race, religion, and gender. Millions of people in the United States are affected by sexual violence, yet accurate numbers are hard to come by because many people impacted by sexual violence may experience shame, guilt, or fear when considering reporting or sharing their experience.

What does prevention of sexual violence mean?

Preventing sexual violence is important because we can stop sexual violence before it happens. Prevention starts with all of us. Parents, teachers, peers, and a community as a whole all have an active role in stopping sexual violence by teaching positive behaviors and interpersonal skills. Prevention looks like valuing respect, consent, and taking action against harassment and violence in a space.

Parents and Adults can:

• Promote conflict resolution skills and healthy communication among youth

• Model healthy relationships and show youth what healthy dating looks like

• Be open to conversations about sexual health, consent, and respect for partners

Teachers, Schools, Coworkers, and Workplaces can:

• Be accountable for maintaining a healthy, safe environment for everyone

• Identifying issues in a school/workplace that make students/workers feel unsafe, targeted, or harassed

• Enact sexual violence/harassment prevention policies that do not tolerate these kinds of behaviors

Statistics

• Every year over 425,000 Americans are 12 and older are raped or sexually assaulted.

• Every year 60,000 children are subject to sexual abuse

• 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime

• Ages 12 - 17 constitute 15% of all victims. Ages 18-34 constitute 54% of all victims. Women under 35 are by far the largest group.

• 9 out of 10 rape survivors are female

• 1 out of 6 women are survivors of a rape or attempted rape

• Rape has the highest instance of PTSD of all traumatic events

The Rape Abuse & Incest National Network RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE, online.rainn.org y rainn.org/es) in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.