APRIL IS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH

SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH

Sexual Assault Awareness Month is an annual designation observed in April. The mission of this month is to raise awareness about sexual violence around the world, and to educate communities on how to prevent it.

STOP THE TIMER

73 Seconds + stopthetimer.com is a fully integrated short film and physical art installation. A custom timer is projected on existing canvasses throughout a city directing people to the website stopthetimer.com where they can learn about abuse and find resources.

Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic it is also a poignant reminder that sheltering in place is often a terrifying proposition for many people.

The campaign was directed by Aaron Schnobrich and produced by Subjectnoun and Muse Group.

If you are sheltering in place and need help you are not alone. Call 800.656.HOPE (4673)

For more facts about abuse in the state of NV please visit ncedsv.org/

stopthetimer.com/
subjectnoun.com/
instagram.com/subjectnoun/

If you, or anyone you know is experiencing any of these, or experiences them in the future, call the police or click here for the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline. Sexual assault is a crime and is not something that should ever be taken lightly. Do not be afraid to speak out if this happens to you.

In April, and every month to follow, people across the country are encouraged to embrace their voices to show support for survivors, and speak out if they have experienced sexual assault themselves. One month isn’t enough time to solve this serious issue, but it’s a fantastic place to start. This month, do your part to end the widespread problem that is sexual assault. Here’s a list of statistics about sexual assault in the U.S.

Nearly 1 in 5 women in the United States have experienced rape (or attempted rape) at one point in their lives.
1 in 67 men in the United States have experienced rape (or attempted rape) at one point in their lives.
Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
Only 5 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison (which is why it is so important to speak out if this happens to you).
The majority of sexual assaults happen at or near the victim’s home, often by someone they know, and/or trust.
Health care is 16% higher for women who were sexually abused as children.
Rape is the most under-reported crime; 63% of sexual assaults are not reported.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Use #SAAM, #SexualAssaultAwarenessMonth, or #SexualAssaultAwareness to post on social media. This month, use your voice and any platform you have to spread the word to end sexual assault in the U.S., and all over the world. Another way to participate this month is to wear the color teal to honor survivors and keep the conversation going.

Sexual assault is a horrific problem, but the good news is that prevention is possible, and it’s happening more and more. By ending the stigma and continuing support and awareness programs, we are slowly but surely able to lower the amount of sexual assaults that occur every year.

Sexual Violence Affects Millions of Americans

Infographic reading "Every 73 seconds an American is sexually assaulted."

On average, there are 433,648 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States.¹

Younger People Are at the Highest Risk of Sexual Violence

Infographic reads "The majority of sexual assault victims are under 30." Statistic is broken down into five age groups. 15% of sexual violence victims are 12-17, 54% of victims are 18-34, 28% of victims are 35-64, and 3% are 65+.

Ages 12-34 are the highest risk years for rape and sexual assault.³
Those age 65 and older are 92% less likely than 12-24 year olds to be a victim of rape or sexual assault, and 83% less likely than 25-49 year olds.⁴

Read more statistics about about child sexual abuse.

Women and Girls Experience Sexual Violence at High Rates

Graphic illustrating the statistic that 1 in every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed, 2.8% attempted).

Millions of women in the United States have experienced rape.

As of 1998, an estimated 17.7 million American women had been victims of attempted or completed rape.⁵

Young women are especially at risk.

82% of all juvenile victims are female. 90% of adult rape victims are female.⁶
Females ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.³
Women ages 18-24 who are college students are 3 times more likely than women in general to experience sexual violence. Females of the same age who are not enrolled in college are 4 times more likely.⁷

Read more statistics about campus sexual violence.

Men and Boys Are Also Affected by Sexual Violence

Infographic depicts that male college students are at a higher risk than non-students of the same age to experience sexual assault or rape. Male students ages 18-24 are five times more likely than non-students of the same age to experience sexual violence.

Millions of men in the United States have been victims of rape.

As of 1998, 2.78 million men in the U.S. had been victims of attempted or completed rape.⁵
About 3% of American men—or 1 in 33—have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.⁵
1 out of every 10 rape victims are male.⁸

Transgender Students Are at Higher Risk for Sexual Violence

21% of TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) college students have been sexually assaulted, compared to 18% of non-TGQN females, and 4% of non-TGQN males.¹⁷

Sexual Violence Can Have Long-Term Effects on Victims

The likelihood that a person suffers suicidal or depressive thoughts increases after sexual violence.

94% of women who are raped experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the two weeks following the rape.⁹
30% of women report symptoms of PTSD 9 months after the rape.¹⁰
33% of women who are raped contemplate suicide.¹¹
13% of women who are raped attempt suicide.¹¹
Approximately 70% of rape or sexual assault victims experience moderate to severe distress, a larger percentage than for any other violent crime.¹²

People who have been sexually assaulted are more likely to use drugs than the general public.¹¹

3.4 times more likely to use marijuana
6 times more likely to use cocaine
10 times more likely to use other major drugs

Sexual violence also affects victims’ relationships with their family, friends, and co-workers.¹²

38% of victims of sexual violence experience work or school problems, which can include significant problems with a boss, coworker, or peer.
37% experience family/friend problems, including getting into arguments more frequently than before, not feeling able to trust their family/friends, or not feeling as close to them as before the crime.
84% of survivors who were victimized by an intimate partner experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
79% of survivors who were victimized by a family member, close friend or acquaintance experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
67% of survivors who were victimized by a stranger experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.

Victims are at risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Studies suggest that the chance of getting pregnant from one-time, unprotected intercourse is between 3.1-5%¹³, depending on a multitude of factors, including the time of month intercourse occurs, whether contraceptives are used, and the age of the female. The average number of rapes and sexual assaults against females of childbearing age is approximately 250,000.¹ Thus, the number of children conceived from rape each year in the United States might range from 7,750—12,500.¹² This is a very general estimate, and the actual number may differ. This statistic presents information from a number of different studies. Further, this information may not take into account factors which increase or decrease the likelihood of pregnancy, including, but not limited to: impact of birth control or condom use at the time of attack or infertility. RAINN presents this data for educational purposes only, and strongly recommends using the citations to review sources for more information and detail.

Native Americans Are at the Greatest Risk of Sexual Violence

On average, American Indians ages 12 and older experience 5,900 sexual assaults per year.¹⁴
- American Indians are twice as likely to experience a rape/sexual assault compared to all races.
- 41% of sexual assaults against American Indians are committed by a stranger; 34% by an acquaintance; and 25% by an intimate or family member.

Bar graph depicts the average number of sexual assaults by race, per year. Races include white (180,000), black (25,000), hispanic (40,000), and other (20,000). Total is approximately 290,000.

Sexual Violence Affects Thousands of Prisoners Across the Country

An estimated 80,600 inmates each year experience sexual violence while in prison or jail.¹⁵

60% of all sexual violence against inmates is perpetrated by jail or prison staff.¹⁵
More than 50% of the sexual contact between inmate and staff member—all of which is illegal—is nonconsensual.¹⁵

Sexual Violence in the Military Often Goes Unreported

14,900 military members experienced unwanted sexual contact in the fiscal year ending September, 2016.¹⁶

4.3% of active duty women and 0.6% of active duty men experienced unwanted sexual contact in FY16.
Of the 14,900 survivors, 43% of females and 17% of males reported.

The Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (NCEDSV) is working towards the elimination of domestic and sexual violence throughout the state. NCEDSV began in 1980 as the Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence. This year, NCEDSV expanded its mission to be a statewide voice advocating for the prevention and elimination of domestic and sexual violence through partnering with communities, and now has an office in Las Vegas in addition to its Reno base of operations. The Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence provides education and support to over 15 programs throughout Nevada that directly handle domestic and sexual violence incidents.

Though NCEDSV does not provide direct shelter or crisis services, our local Las Vegas member programs Safe Nest (www.safenest.org or 702-877-0133), S.A.F.E. House (www.safehousenv.org or 702-877-0133), and the Rape Crisis Center (www.rcclv.org or 702-385-2153), are available to help. You can also receive assistance through the National Domestic Violence hotline (800-799-7233), the National Sexual Assault hotline (800-799-7233), or you can visit NCEDSV’s website www.ncedsv.org to find services throughout Nevada.

Again – if you, or anyone you know is experiencing any of these, or experiences them in the future, call the police or click here for the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline. Sexual assault is a crime and is not something that should ever be taken lightly. Do not be afraid to speak out if this happens to you.