Who Are The Most Common Victims of Sexual Abuse?

Author: Auger Law | February 26th, 2016

Sexual assault is a personal and often private crime. It is something that people do not like to talk about. A brave few come forward to not only name their attackers but to lend support to other survivors. There is no shame in being sexually assaulted. It is a crime of power that often has no base in sexual desire.

According to RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, 1 out of every 6 women in the United States is a survivor of rape or attempted rape. Translated to larger numbers: 17.7 million women in this country have been victimized. But is it always women who are attacked? Absolutely not.

Approximately 1 in every 33 men in the country have been the victim of rape or attempted rape. Over a 15 year time period, 9 percent of all rape victims were men. In fact, 2.78 million men in America are survivors of rape or sexual assault.

Children are also victimized at a startling rate. Children comprise 15 percent of all victims of rape. More specifically, children under 12 comprise 15 percent of all victims. 44 percent of child victims were under the age of 18. Females aged 16 through 19 are four times as likely as anyone else to be the victim of attempted rape, rape or sexual assault.

Boys are victimized as well. 8 percent of male children in grades 5 through 12 said that they had been sexually abused. Sadly, the age at which a male child is most likely to fall victim to a sexual predator is 4. A female’s greatest risk falls at the age of 14. According to statistics, child protective service agencies respond to reports of child sexual abuse every eight minutes. Of those children who were victimized, only 7 percent were assaulted by a complete stranger.

Female college students also need to be aware. Women enrolled in college are said to be three times more likely than other women to fall victim to sexual violence. Only 20 percent of the college women victimized report the crime to police.

Sexual assault knows no boundaries. It is a crime that does not discriminate based upon gender, age or race. Anyone can fall victim to this very personal crime.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of sexual abuse in North Carolina, you have rights. Reach out to our team of attorneys today and let us assist you. Your first consultation is free. Call now.