SEXUAL ASSAULT

The statistics are alarming and the silence is deafening. College students on campuses all over the country are finding themselves victims (or friends of victims) of sexual assault.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services defines sexual assault as "any type of sexual activity that you do not agree to."This can include (but is not limited to): rape, inappropriate touching, vaginal/anal/oral penetration, child molestation, and non-consensual sex.

In a study completed by the U.S. Department of Justice, findings showed that college-age women were more at risk for sexual assault than women in the general population. For example, at a college with approximately 10,000 students, 350 women can be expected to be raped per year.

What is even more startling is the amount of sexual assaults that go unreported. In many rape cases, women are unsure of what the legal definition of rape is, they are embarrassed,

STARTLING STATISTICS:

1 out of every 6 American women have been the victims of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime (14.8% completed rape; 2.8% attempted rape).

17.7 million American women have been victims of attempted or completed rape.

9 of every 10 rape victims were female in 2003.

While about 80% of all victims are white, minorities are somewhat more likely to be attacked.

Statistics courtesy of RAINN: Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network