Acquaintance rape occurs when a woman is forced to have intercourse against her will by someone she knows. The rapist may be a friend, date, neighbor, partner or husband.
Most rape victims are women, but men can also be raped.
Anyone who is forced to have unwanted sex by a friend, relative, partner or another acquaintance is a rape victim. But because rape usually happens to women, this pamphlet refers to female victims and male offenders. Any woman is at risk for acquaintance rape regardless of her age, race, educational level or socioeconomic status. The American Medical Association estimates that a woman is sexually assaulted every 45 seconds. There are warning signs that a man may be a potential rapist.