Trigger Warning:

National Sexual Assault Month

Picture Belongs to the Nation Sexual Violence Resource Center

Definitions: An act in which a person touches another person without that person's consent or coercion or forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence that includes rape, groping, child sexual abuse, or the torture of the person in a sexual manner.

This month in America, it is National Sexual Assault Month. The reason that the definition of sexual assault is the first thing you read is because some don’t know the full definition. April wasn’t acknowledged by a president until 2009 by President Obama making the White House since then they release a proclamation each year; Although, there have been several decades that have acknowledged sexual assault by various groups in America starting in the late 40s too early 50s.

The acknowledgment of these groups was continued into the 70s where it’s support for survivors and the awareness grew even more. In the same decade, the first Rape Crisis Center was founded in San Francisco. This was a huge step for the US to help make awareness for those who are affected by sexual assault daily. By 2001, April was made the National Sexual Assault Awareness month.

The amount of people over the age of 18 affected by sexual assault or rape:

One in Five Women

One in Seventy-One Men

One in Three Women will experience Sexual assault

One in Six Men will experience Sexual assault

51.1% of Women will be raped by an intimate partner, 40.8% by an Acquaintance

52.4% of Men will be raped by an Acquaintance, 15.1% by a Stranger

More than 49.5% mixed racial women and more than 45% of American Indians and Alaskan Natives will be subjected to sexual assault in their lifetimes

91% of victims that are affected by sexual assault and rape are women

Nine percent of victims that will be affected by sexual assault and rape are men

Eight out of 10 Rape cases, the victims know the perpetrator

8 percent of rape happens while the victim is at work

Rape is one of the most underreported crimes by 63% and costs the survivor more than $122,461 in a lifetime. Rape causes the US is the most costing crime by $127 billion, followed by assault by $93 billion, Murder at $71 billion, and Drunk driving, including fatalities, $61 billion. Ever victim has a chance of being affected by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) whether it be short-term or long-term, more than 81% of the women are affected by this or something like this and 35% of men will be affected by this as well. Women who were sexually abused as a child are 16% higher for Health Care than 36% of women who were Physically and Sexually abused as a child.

The amount of children that are affected by Sexual assault, Sexual abuse, Rape, and Commercial Sexual exploitation before the age of 18 per year is 325,000. Girls are more likely to be affected before Boys by 25% and 30% will experience a completed rape between the ages of 11 to 17 and 12.3% of girls before the age of 10 will experience a completed rape. Girls affected by Rape, Assault, or Abuse have a 33% higher chance of being Raped again as an adult. 16.6% boys will experience some form of assault or abuse by the age of 18 and 27.8% under the age of 10 will be experience a complete rape. 34% of people who have assaulted or abused a child is someone the child is related to and only 12% of the assaults will ever reported to the authoritie

The amount of children that are affected by Sexual assault, Sexual abuse, Rape, and Commercial Sexual exploitation before the age of 18 per year is 325,000. Girls are more likely to be affected before Boys by 25% and 30% will experience a completed rape between the ages of 11 to 17 and 12.3% of girls before the age of 10 will experience a completed rape. Girls affected by Rape, Assault, or Abuse have a 33% higher chance of being Raped again as an adult. 16.6% boys will experience some form of assault or abuse by the age of 18 and 27.8% under the age of 10 will be experience a complete rape. 34% of people who have assaulted or abused a child is someone the child is related to and only 12% of the assaults will ever reported to the authorities.

If you or someone you love has been affected by sexual violence, check out the resources available on the National Sexual Violence Resource Center or call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to talk to a trained professional.