Sexual Violence

Trends

Over their lifetime, an estimated 19% of women and 2% of men will have been raped, while 44% of women and 23% of 

men will experience some other form of sexual violence.

A According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in the 10 years from 

2006 to 2015, the rates of sexual violence for both women and men experienced no significant change. Rates of sexual 

violence reported to police also did not change significantly from 2006 to 2015. Consistently across this period, less than 40% 

of sexual victimizations were reported to police.B

Did You Know?

38% of heterosexual female rape victims were 

18 – 24 years old when they were first raped; 

28% were first raped between 11 and 17 years old.

C

64% of multiracial women and 40% of multiracial 

men have experienced some form of sexual violence 

other than rape.A

In 2014, an estimated 20,300 military members 

indicated experiencing a sexual assault in the year 

prior; 10,600 were men and 9,600 were women.

D

About 4% of inmates in state and federal prison 

reported experiencing sexual victimization, the 

most common form being staff misconduct.

E

2017 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Resource Guide: Crime and Victimization Fact Sheets

Sexual Violence Victims and Victim ServicesB

by sex

Sexual violence encompasses a variety of criminal and noncriminal acts—from sexual threats to unwanted contact 

to rape. Sexual violence is pervasive and often traumatizing to its victims. For a number of reasons, however, 

including the stigma and insensitive treatment often associated with these crimes, sexual violence remains highly 

underreported. Sexual violence is also a difficult concept to measure, primarily due to inconsistent definitions of 

sexual assault and rape; differing reporting requirements across local, state, and national law enforcement; and low 

conviction rates. While people of all genders and gender identities are victims of sexual violence, the majority of these 

acts are perpetrated by male offenders against female victims. Most victims know the perpetrator in some capacity, 

either as a friend, acquaintance, family member, or intimate partner. 

Of sexual violence victims in 2015, 5% of men and 21% of 

women reported receiving victim services, including information, 

emotional support, help finding resources, and other assistance.B 

Received services

100%

Women

Men

Did not receive services

21

79

5

95

*Estimates based on 3-year rolling averages centered on the most recent year.

Sexual Violence by Victim SexB*

rate per 1,000 people

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3

2.2

0.2 0.3

2.1

0.4

2.2

Women

Men

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Sexual Violence Victimization and ReportingB*

rate per 1,000 people

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Sexual violence victimization

Sexual violence victimization 

reported to law enforcement

0.4

1.3

0.4

1.3

3

1.2

0.4

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
SOURCES

A Matthew J. Breiding et al., Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, 

Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization - National Intimate 

Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 2011, (Atlanta: CDC, 2014), www.cdc.

gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6308.pdf 

B Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, Concatenated File, 1992-2015, (U.S. Department of Justice)

C M.L. Walters et al., The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation, (Atlanta: CDC, 

2013), www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs_sofindings.pdf

D U.S. Department of Defense, DoD Plan to Prevent and Respond to Sexual 

Assault of Military Men, (Arlington, VA: 2016), www.sapr.mil/public/docs/

prevention/DoD-Plan-to-Prevent-and-Respond-to-Sexual-Assault-of-Military-Men_Approved.pdf

E Allen J. Beck et al., Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by 

Inmates, 2011-2012, (Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 2013), www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/svpjri1112.pdf

F M.C. Black et al., The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey 

(NISVS): 2010 Summary Report, (Atlanta: CDC, 2011), https://www.cdc.gov/

violenceprevention/pdf/NISVS_Report2010-a.pdf

G Cora Peterson et al., “Lifetime Economic Burden of Rape Among U.S. 

Adults,” Am J Prev Med (Jan 2017), www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-

3797(16)30615-8/abstract

H Waechter, Randall, and Van Ma, “Sexual Violence in America: Public Funding and Social Priority,” Am J Public Health vol. 105, 12(2015): 2430-43

I Christopher Krebs et al., “Campus Climate Survey Validation Study Final 

Technical Report,” (Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 2016), www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ccsvsftr.pdf

According to the 2010 NISVS, about 75% of bisexual 

women are estimated to be victims of sexual violence in 

their lifetime, compared to 43% of heterosexual women.

Comparatively, 40% of same-sex and 47% of bisexual men

are victims of sexual violence in their lifetime, compared to 

21% of heterosexual men.C

According to the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual 

Violence Survey (NISVS), more than half (51.1%) of female

victims of rape reported being raped by an intimate partner,

and 40.8% by an acquaintance. For male victims, more than 

half (52.4%) reported being raped by an acquaintance, and 

15.1% by a stranger.F

Current Data on Sexual Violence The Cost of Sexual Violence

Sexual violence is 2.5x more prevalent than the most 

commonly occurring diseases—including cardiovascular 

disease, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS combined—and has 

a far greater economic impact. Yet these diseases receive 

between 0.3% and 7.7% of all public funding, while all forms 

of violence combined—including sexual violence—receive 

0.09% ($882 million).H

Sexual Violence by Gender and Sexual OrientationC

43

21

100%

Heterosexual Same sex Bisexual

46 40

75

47

Men

Women

Campus Sexual Assault

A survey of more than 23,000 students across 9 higher 

education institutions found that:I

1 in 5 female students experienced attempted or completed 

sexual assault while in college.

Freshman women were at greater risk for sexual assault 

during the first months of the school year (August-October) 

than at any other time throughout college.

About 65% of surveyed rape victims reported the incident 

to a friend, family member, or roommate. Less than 10% 

reported it to police or school officials.

The estimated lifetime cost of rape victimization is 

$122,461 per victim, or $3.1 trillion for all rape victims. 

Lost work productivity and medical costs are the highest 

costs associated with rape victimization, totaling $1.6 and 

$1.2 trillion, respectively. Criminal justice service activities 

associated with rape victimization total $234 billion, while 

other costs, including victim property loss or damage, total 

$36 billion.G

Lost work productivity (52%)

Medical costs (39%)

Criminal justice activities (8%)

Other (1%)

Economic Burden of Sexual ViolenceG

by type of cost

$3.1 trillion

Rape Victims’ Relationship to the PerpetratorF

by victim sex

41

52

100%

Acquaintance Intimate 

partner*

Family 

member*

Stranger Authority 

figure*

51

15 14 13

3

Men

Women

*Estimates not reported for men due to small sample size.