SOME STATISTICS

I had a great question in regards to a previous post – where did I get the information for the numbers I presented. So I wanted to go into some of the statistics I have found and where I found them.

There are a number of different locations on the web where rape/sexual assault statistics are available; government websites, blogs, corporate or non-profit websites and the list goes on. One thing that is to be expected is that the numbers vary from site to site. I have found this could be due to the statistics being from different years or from different original sources, they could be reporting figures based on different ways of adding up the original data collected, they could be reporting a range of numbers, and again, the list goes on. I did find it helpful to take into consideration the type of site I was visiting. I noticed the sources tended to lean towards the numbers that made the most impact for whatever it was they were trying to convey. For example a self-defense site might report the upper end of the range for benefits of fighting back, while a site dealing with medical treatment might report the upper end of the range for potential injuries if the person fought back.

The stats listed below are crime rate statistics from the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics publication Criminal Victimization in the United States, 2007, Statistical Tables and can be found at this website

Disclaimers. This is a fairly long post; there were a lot of statistics, be prepared. The stats are not meant to scare, or worry, or promote a cause or group, or sway opinion, or … ; they are just straight statistics as reported by the DOJ. That’s it. I also know that people who have survived a completed attack or attempted attack are referred to as survivors and not victims. However, in the statistics below, the term victim (or respondent) or victimization is used because that was what was used in the report and I did not want to modify the DOJ terminology or findings, or how they were reported. (aside from taking them from table form and converting them to more of a text format.) Some of the paragraphs are only slightly different from one to the next (e.g. the first listing could be an overall total number of attacks then it could be broken into attacks by strangers and non-strangers). This is not meant to be confusing; these are just different ways the totals were broken up by the DOJ.

All the stats are from 2007 and, due to rounding, totals may not add up to 100%:


GENERAL STATISTICS:

Of 236,980 rapes/sexual assaults on women: 132,220 were rape/attempted rape (with 66,730 completed rapes and 65,490 attempted rapes) and 104,760 sexual assaults (including threats).

Of 11,300 rapes/sexual assaults on men: 8,400 were rape/attempted rape (with 3,120 completed rapes and 5,280 attempted rapes) and 2,900 sexual assaults (including threats).

Of 248,280 rapes and sexual assaults: 42.2% involved strangers and 57.8% involved non-strangers. Broken down further: Of 69,850 completed rapes: 51.4% involved strangers and 48.6% involved non-strangers. Of 70,770 attempted rapes: 36.5% involved strangers and 63.5% involved non-strangers. Of 107,660 sexual assaults: 39.9% involved strangers and 60.1% involved non-strangers.


RELATIONSHIP TO VICTIM:

Of 248,280 rape/sexual assaults: 13.5 % were committed by someone related to the victim (8.3% spouse, 2.5% ex-spouse, 0.8% parent, 0.0% own child, 1.8% other relatives), 28.9% the offender was well known, 15.5% were committed by a casual acquaintance, 5.6% don’t know the relationship, 31.2% were strangers, 5.4% don’t know number of offenders.

Of 226,590 rape/sexual assaults committed by a single-offender: 14.7 % were committed by someone related to them (9.1% spouse, 2.7% ex-spouse, 0.9% parent, 0.0% own child, 0.0% brother or sister, 2.0% other relatives), 30.4% the offender was well known, 17.0% were committed by a casual acquaintance, 6.1 don’t know the relationship, 31.7% were strangers.

Of 8,320 rape/sexual assaults committed by multiple-offenders: 0.0% of attacks some or all of the offenders were related, 33.3% some or all of the offenders were well known but not related, 0.0% some or all were casual acquaintances, 0.0 don’t know the relationship, 66.7% were strangers.


RACE OF OFFENDER:

Of 226,590 single-offender rapes/sexual assaults: in 63.0% of the assaults the offender was white, 15.5 % the offender was black, 6.8 percent were ‘other’, and 14.7 were unknown.


AGE OF OFFENDER:

Of 226,590 single-offender rapes/sexual assaults: 0.0% of the offenders were perceived to be under the age of 12, 1.9 % were 12 – 14 years of age, 9.4 % were 15-17 years, 4.6 % were 18 – 20 years, 37.7 % were 21 – 29 years, 37.3 % were 30 or over, and 9.0% were of unknown age.

Of 8,310 multiple-offender rape/sexual assaults: 0.0% of all offenders were perceived to be under 12 years of age, 31.8% all of the offenders were between 12 - 20 years of age, 0.0% 21 - 29 years, 0.0% all 30 and over 0.0% were mixed ages, and 68.2% were not known and not available.


NUMBER OF OFFENDERS:

In single-offender rapes/sexual assaults 94.2% of the offenders are male.

In multiple-offender rape/sexual assaults 100% of the offenders are male.

Of 248,280 rape/sexual assaults: 91.3 % were conducted by 1 offender, 2.2 % were conducted by 2 offenders, 0.0 % were conducted by 3 offenders, 1.2% were conducted by 4 or more offenders, and 5.4% were by an unknown number of offenders.

Of 104,670 rape/sexual assaults involving strangers: 81.9% were conducted by 1 offender, 2.5 % were conducted by 2 offenders, 0.0 % were conducted by 3 offenders, 2.8% were conducted by 4 or more offenders, and 12.8% were by an unknown number of offenders.

Of 143,610 rape/sexual assaults involving non-strangers: 98.1% were conducted by 1 offender, 1.9 % were conducted by 2 offenders, 0.0 % were conducted by 3 offenders, 0.0% were conducted by 4 or more offenders, and 0.0% were by an unknown number of offenders.


TIME OF ATTACK

Of 248,280 rape/sexual assaults: 35.0% occurred between 6 AM – 6 PM, 63.7% occurred at night (with 40.6% occurring between 6 PM – 12 AM, 21.9% between 12 – 6 AM, and 1.2% of unknown time) and 1.4% not known as to the time of attack.


LOCATION OF VICTIMIZATIONS:

Of 248,280 rape/sexual assaults: 41.1% occurred at or in the respondent’s home, 4.5% occurred near the home, 3.3% occurred on the street near home, 15.3% occurred at, in, or near a friend’s, relative’s, or neighbor’s home, 6.5% occurred inside a restaurant, bar, or nightclub, 7.8% occurred in other commercial building, 2.2% occurred in a parking lot or garage, 6.3% occurred inside school building or on school property, 1.7% occurred in an apartment yard, park, field, or playground, 10.0% occurred on street other than near own home, 0.0% occurred on public transportation or inside the station, 1.4% occurred at ‘other’.

Of 104,670 rape/sexual assaults involving strangers; 24.5% occurred at or in the respondent’s home, 2.7% occurred near the home, 4.5% occurred on the street near home, 17.8% occurred at, in, or near a friend’s, relative’s, or neighbor’s home, 15.3% occurred inside a restaurant, bar, or nightclub, 11.2% occurred in other commercial building, 0.0% occurred in a parking lot or garage, 2.5% occurred inside school building or on school property, 4.1% occurred in an apartment yard, park, field, or playground, 17.3% occurred on street other than near own home, 0.0% occurred on public transportation or inside the station, 0.0% occurred at ‘other’.

Of 143,610 rape/sexual assaults involving non-strangers; 53.2% occurred at or in the respondent’s home, 5.8% occurred near the home, 2.4% occurred on the street near home, 13.4% occurred at, in, or near a friend’s, relative’s, or neighbor’s home, 0.0% occurred inside a restaurant, bar, or nightclub, 5.3% occurred in other commercial building, 3.9% occurred in a parking lot or garage, 9.0% occurred inside school building or on school property, 0.0% occurred in an apartment yard, park, field, or playground, 4.7% occurred on street other than near own home, 0.0% occurred on public transportation or inside the station, 2.4% occurred at ‘other’.

Of 248,280 rape/sexual assaults 41.1% occurred inside home or lodging, 10.5% occurred near respondent’s home, 8.5% occurred one mile from home or less, 11.8% occurred 5 miles from home or less, 23.7% occurred 50 miles from home or less, 4.5% occurred more than 50 miles from home.

Of 248,280 rape/sexual assaults: 3.0 % of the victims were working or on duty, 3.4% were on the way to or from work, 1.8% were on the way to or from school, 9.2% were on the way to or from some other place, 6.7% were shopping or running errands, 6.3% were attending school, 26.6% were doing a leisure activity away from home, 12.3% were sleeping, 29.3% were doing other activities at home, 1.4% were doing something ‘other’.


REPORTING TO THE POLICE

Of 248,260 rape/sexual assaults: 41.6% were reported to police and 48.4% were not reported (69,850 rapes, 53.9% were reported and 46.1% were not reported and of the 70,770 attempted rapes 49.3% were reported and 50.7 % were not reported.) Of the 107,660 sexual assaults 28.6% were reported and 71.4% were not reported.

38.8% of female victims reported the rape/sexual assaults to the police. 49.3% of female victims report if the rape/sexual assault involved a stranger and 31.3% reported if the rape/sexual assault involved a non-stranger.

Of 12 - 19 years olds victimized by a rape/sexual assault 44.7% reported it to the police, of 20 - 34 years olds 40.2% reported it, of 35 - 49 year olds 33.7% reported it, of 50 - 64 year olds 65.1% reported it and of 65 + year olds 59.3% reported it to the police.

Of the 94,020 number of reasons for reporting rape/sexual assaults: 9.4% were to stop or prevent this incident, 13.2% needed help due to injury, 27.3% to prevent further crimes by offender against victim, 17.6% to prevent crime by offender against anyone, 15.9% to punish offender, 8.0% to catch or find offender, 0.0% to improve police surveillance, 0.0% duty to notify police, 8.6% because it was a crime. (Note some respondents may have cited more than one reason for reporting victimizations to the police)

Out of 66,840 number of reasons for not reporting rapes/sexual assaults involving strangers: 15.3% reported it to another official, 6.7% said it was a private or personal matter, 0.0% said the offender was unsuccessful, 6.7% said it was not important enough, 17.5% said lack of proof, 8.0% said police would not want to be bothered, 7.2% said the police were inefficient, ineffective, or biased, 4.3% stated fear of reprisal, 6.7% said too inconvenient or time consuming, 27.5% said ‘other reasons’.

Out of 109,010 number of reasons for not reporting rapes/sexual assaults involving non-strangers: 2.5% reported it to another official, 20.7% said it was a private or personal matter, 6.6% said the offender was unsuccessful, 7.9% said it was not important enough, 0.0% said lack of proof, 8.1% said police would not want to be bothered, 2.9% said the police were inefficient, ineffective, or biased, 24.4% stated fear of reprisal, 3.4% said to inconvenient or time consuming, 23.5% said ‘other reasons’.


SELF-PROTECTIVE MEASURES

The first to use force in a rape/sexual attack: 21.7% of the time the respondent was the first to use force, 66.9% of the time the offender was the first to use force, and 11.4% data was not available.

In 248,280 rape/sexual assaults, 91.2% of the incidents no weapon was used by the offender, 5.6 % of the incidents a weapon was used, and 3.2% don’t know if a weapon was used. Of the 5.6% of weapons used: 1.1% used a firearm, 2.5% used a knife, and 2.0% used a blunt weapon.

66.4% of females took self-protective measure in the event of rape/sexual assault.

In the case of rape/sexual assault 72.0% of individuals took self-protective measures if the victimization involved a stranger, 61.7% took self-protective measures if the victimization involved a non-stranger.

Of 164,030 rape/sexual assaults in which self-protective measures were employed: 50% of the respondents indicated it helped the situation, 12.2% said it hurt the situation, 6.8% said it both helped and hurt the situation, 15.9% said it neither helped nor hurt the situation, 3.7 % don’t know if it helped and 11.4% data was not available.

Of 128,010 rape/sexual assaults in which self-protective measures taken by the victim were helpful: 37.7% avoided injury or greater injury, 34.2% scared the offender off, 25.2% escaped, and 2.9% protected property.

Data was not broken out for rapes/sexual assaults as to reasons self-protective measures taken by the victim were harmful. Of 403,120 crimes of violence (including rape, sexual assault, robbery and aggravated and simple assault) in which self-protective measures taken by the victim were harmful: 65.2% made the offender angrier, more aggressive, 16.6% led to injury or greater injury, 2.6% caused greater property damage, 2.5% caused others to get hurt, 3.7% let the offender get away, 8.3% made the situation worse in other ways, 0.9% not available.

Of the self-protective measures employed by victims in a rape/sexual assault; 0.9% attacked offender with weapon, 6.3% attacked offender without weapon, 0.9% threatened offender with weapon, 1.4% threatened offender without weapon, 31.6% resisted or captured offender, 13.9% scared or warned offender, 10.8% persuaded or appeased offender, 15.0% ran away or hid, 9.9% got help or gave alarm, 8.1% screamed from pain or fear, 1.1% took other measures. Note: some respondents may have cited more than one self-protective measure employed.