I\'m Summer, a mouthy, sarcastic bitch. I\'m passionate about natural birth, long term breastfeeding, and living naturally. I curse too much, love tattoos, and will some day be crushed to death by my book collection. I homeschool, dream of gardening, and swing to the left. 
A Day to End Sexual Violence
Today is A Day to End Sexual Violence.
“Many victims have learned much in the process of becoming survivors. They have paid dearly, emotionally, financially, by losing years of their lives. Many have survived as stronger, wiser persons. Sharing their testimonials may be helpful to them as yet another step in the healing process. All their pain and struggle were not for naught if others, too, can learn from their experience and thus be in a better position to understand and respond to other victims.” — Jeanette Hofstee Milgrom
We often here the common phrases blaming a woman when she is raped. “Well she shouldn’t have been wearing that.” or “Well she was drinking with him.” Comments like that make the false assumption that a woman is “asking for it” by being too sexual. That somehow rape is really about lust or desire gone wild in men.
The fact is rape isn’t about sex, it is about power. The men who rape aren’t doing so because they want to get off, they want to dominate the woman. They want to insert their power over her, and the best way to do that is to use her own body against her. Rape is about power and anger, not sex.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice:
- One of every four rapes take place in a public area or in a parking garage.
- 28% of female victims reported that the offender was a stranger.
- 70% of rapes occur between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- At least 48% of rapists were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- In 30% of rapes, the offender used a weapon.
- In 47% of rapes, the victim sustained injuries other than rape injuries.
- 75% of female rape victims require medical care after the attack.
(All statistics are taken from: Violence against Women, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2001.)
Here are some ideas of what you can do to prevent sexual violence. Read the myths and the facts on rape and sexual assault.
84% of rapes go unreported; 46% of survivors of acquaintance rape and 27% of stranger rape survivors never tell anyone.
77% of rape survivors know their attacker. These include rapes committed by relatives, neighbors, acquaintances and boyfriends. 57% of rapes occur on a date.
51-60% of college men report they would rape a woman if they were certain that they would get away with it. One out of twelve college men surveyed had committed acts that met the legal definition of rape; 84% of these men said what they did was DEFINITELY not rape.
One in every seven married women will be sexually assaulted by her husband.
98% of all sexual assault survivors will never see their attacker caught, tried and imprisoned. Of the rape cases brought to prosecution, over one half will be dismissed before trial or acquitted. One half of convicted rapists serve less than one year in prison
[tags]rape, sexual violence, women, a day to end sexual violence[/tags]
Great job, Summer! I haven’t been around much lately, but I’m so glad I’m participating in BASV day! Great stats on this post–thanks for the info.
marj aka thriver’s last blog post..Blog Against Sexual Violence: The Link to Child Sexual Abuse
If rape were really about sex, wouldn’t rapists just go pick up a cheap hooker instead?
Jill, exactly!
Summer, I love that quote and it is a great intro to your BASV post. The data often means little to people who don’t understand what sexual violence does to those who have survived it.
abyss2hope’s last blog post..Blog Against Sexual Violence My Entry
Wow! This is great information. Sobering, but great.
Genevieve’s last blog post..Autism Reads: From hiding in the closet to converting bullies