|
Sexual assault in this section refers to nonconsensual
physical contact of a sexual nature or forced display of
genitals in order to sexually arouse another.[1] This
includes rape, attempted rape, child sexual abuse, or any
unwanted sexual advancement. Additionally, rape may be committed
by a spouse (marital rape), someone known to the victim (date
rape/acquaintance rape) or an individual who is unknown
(stranger rape). In any of these situations, the rape has a
devastating impact on the victims.
National Sexual Assault Data
- Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America,
someone is sexually assaulted.[2]
- One in three girls and one in five boys will be sexually
abused before the age of 16.[3]
- One in six American women are victims of attempted or
completed rapes, and one in 33 men.[4]
- In 2004-2005, there were an average annual 200,780 victims
of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault.[5]
- About 44% of rape victims are under age 18, and 80% are
under age 30.[6]
- About two-thirds of all sexual assaults are committed by
someone who is known to the victim.[7]
- Since 1993, reported rape-sexual assault has fallen by
over 69%.[8]
- The National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) found
that only 1 in 5 adult women (19%) reported their rapes to
police.[9]
Sexual Assault in Washington State
In the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy study with
Washington State women (2001), 85% of victims did not report
their assault to law enforcement, a statistic consistent
with national trends. Additionally:
- One-third (38%) of women in WA state report they
were sexually assaulted in their lifetime.
- Half of all adult sexual assault experiences took
place when the woman was between the ages of 18 and 21
years old.
Over the last ten years in Washington State, rates of
forcible rape reported to law enforcement have fluctuated
with no apparent pattern. There was roughly a steady decline
from 1997 to 2001, before the rates gradually climbed back
up until 2004 when they descended again (see graph below).
Source: Washington Association of
Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Crime in Washington 2006.
Return to Top
Status of the Sexual Assault Service System
In 1995, Washington State sexual assault programs commenced a
thorough analysis of the service delivery system in an attempt
to coordinate and collaborate on a multidisciplinary approach to
sexual assault. This approach brought various sexual assault
organizations and agencies together in order to standardize
services to sexual assault victims across the state and ensure
that all victims were receiving comprehensive services.
The State plan identified core and specialized services for
sexual assault victims that must be included in service delivery
and linked funding for community providers to these
accreditation standards. Core services include information and
referral, crisis intervention, medical and legal advocacy,
support and system coordination; while specialized services
could include therapy, support groups, medical evaluation and
education.
A number of gaps in service delivery in the area of sexual assault
have been identified in King County:
- In 2004, Washington State community sexual assault
programs served 10,000 primary victims and 5,000 secondary
victims (friends and family members) of sexual assault.[10]
- A provider survey conducted by King County Sexual Assault
Resource Center (KCSARC) indicated that fewer than 40% of
all victims of sexual assault seek assistance (from social
services, sexual assault programs or medical providers);
while another 34% never tell anyone of the assault.[11]
- Even though early childhood sexual victimization does not
automatically lead to sexually aggressive behavior in later
years, studies indicate that among adult sex offenders,
anywhere from 40-80% were sexually abused as children.[12]
- In Washington, 90% of women who were the victims of sexual
assault did not seek medical assistance, and only one-third
sought counseling.[13]
- Typically, about 25% of people served by KCSARC in any
given year are people of color.
*not including participants in their
prevention education programs and workshops.
Source: KCSARC
In order to fill service delivery gaps, community members and
the Sexual Assault Services Network of King County make these
suggestions:
- Sexual assault service delivery for culturally and
linguistically specific services is lacking. Diverse
communities, especially Asian and African, need
interpreter services for clients interacting with social
system personnel such as the criminal justice system and
the public health system.
- There is a need for improved coordination between
providers of domestic violence services and those
providing sexual assault services. When children are
involved, families may be involved in both systems of
care.
- Interpersonal violence prevention efforts targeted at
youth would also benefit from improved coordination
between domestic violence and sexual assault provider
programs (e.g. joint presentations or projects).
- Ensure that children who experience sexual abuse and
other forms of victimization receive immediate care and
the services they need at every step of their healing
process.
Return to Top
Return to Domestic Violence Page
RCW 7.90
http://www.rainn.org/statistics/index.html and US DOJ
KSARC, PSA,
Paper dolls
http://www.rainn.org/statistics/index.html
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Tjaden and Thoennes (2006). http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/210346.pdf
Office of
Crime Victim Advocacy, 2004
KCSARC, 2005
http://www.csom.org/pubs/mythsfacts.html
Berliner, Fine, & Moore (2001) |
