Statistics on Rape and Rapists in the United States

• 

Rape is a crime that does not discriminate. Statistics on rape show it can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Rape is about more than just sex. It's a crime of power and control. Often, rapists use violence as a means to take control over their victims.¹ The physical and emotional scars left behind run deep and often take years to recover from, if ever. Sexual abuse victims are three times more likely to suffer from psychiatric disorders and four times more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder than non-victims.²

There are many myths about the nature of rape and who rape victims are. While it's true that women and children are the crime's primary victims, men can be sexually abused too — although far fewer men report it. Most startling, however, is the high percentage of victims who know their abusers — either casually or intimately. Rapists can be family members, seemingly friendly neighbors, a casual date, even spouses.

While rape has actually decreased by 60% since 1993, knowing the reality of the crime, who it affects, and where convicted rapists may be living near you are important steps to protecting your family and yourself from rapists.³

Staggering rape statistics

• Every two minutes, someone is sexually assaulted in the U.S.³
• 73% of all victims, including 93% of child rape victims, know their attacker.⁴
• More than 50% of all reported rape and sexual assault incidents occur within one mile of the victim's home.⁴
• 44% of all reported sexual assault victims are under 18 years old. 15% of those cases are children under 12 years of age.⁴
• Seven percent of girls and three percent of boys in grades 5-8 say they have been sexually assaulted.⁴
• One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually assaulted by age 18.²
• One out of every six American women will have been raped or sexually attacked in their lifetime.⁴
• Factoring in unreported rapes, only about six percent of rapists ever serve a day in jail.⁵
• 46% of convicted rapists released from prison were re-arrested within three years for another crime.⁶

• 
•