The official website of the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office V.E.T.O.

Sexual Assault

• What is Rape?  
  
  Rape is the penetration of bodily orifice ( oral, anal, vaginal) with a body part (e.g. penis, finger, tongue) or an object through force or threat of force and without consent.  



• I hear some people use the term sexual assault.   What does that mean?  
  
  Sexual Assault is a broader term that includes rape and other crimes such as molestation, flashing, and voyeurism.  



• Are many women raped?  
  
  Reports estimate that one out five women will be raped in her lifetime.   However, most women never report the crime because they are afraid that no one will believe them or they think nothing can be done about it.   According to the National Crime Victims Survey, young females are four times more likely to be a victim of a sexual assault than any other group.   According to the Department of Justice, 99% of all forcible rapes were perpetrated against women and somewhere in America, a woman is raped every two minutes.  



• Can men be raped?  
  
  Yes.   Most often men who are raped are raped by other men.   According to the National Crime Victims survey, 10% of all rapes are committed against men, approximately one out of every thirty three men.   According to the Department of Justice, the year that a male is most at risk of being sexually assaulted is age four.   In the vast majority of cases, men are the perpetrators of rape.  



• How old are victims of rape?  
  
  According to the National Crime Victims survey, 44% of rape victims were under the age of 18.   The Department of Justice has estimated that 1 out of six victims are under the age of 12.   80% of rape victims are under the age of thirty.  



• Are victims generally raped by someone that they do not know?  
  
  No.   According to the National Crime Victim Survey, 38% of all rapes were committed by a friend or an acquaintance.   28% were committed by an intimate partner, 26% were committed by a stranger, 6% were committed by another relative and 2% were unknown.   According to the Department of Justice, 94% of the child rape victims under the age of 12 were raped by a family member, friend or acquaintance.  



• Why does someone rape?  
  
  Rapists commit their crime because they want power and control over their victim.   Sex is the tool that is used to commit that crime.   Rapists do not rape because women wear short skirts, look provocative or act seductive, rape is an act of violence, not sex.  

• Remember, it is not your fault.   No one asks or deserves to be raped, no matter what the circumstances;



• Seek medical attention for the possibility of injury, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and/or pregnancy



• Find yourself a network of people who believe and support you



• Call a rape hotline, such as Womansplace Crisis Center.   To find out how they can help you



• Schedule an appointment for individual counseling with a counselor



• Consider joining a support group.   Sharing your experience with others is an important part of the healing process



• Remember, no matter how you feel now, you have the power to heal

In the Words of a Survivor

“I push myself to survive even though sometimes it feels as if
giving up would be the easiest option.   Some days I do it to get
back at him, to show him I can go on and I won’t be a victim any
longer.   But most days, I do it for myself.   I did not ask for rape.  
I only ask for my life and I’m taking control again.  ”

• Fear of attacker returning
• Fear of being alone
• Fear of things or places that remind you of the attack
• Fear of the attacker harming family members

• Feeling that your privacy and right to choose has been denied
• Hopelessness

• Thinking that you were responsible for what happened to you
• Feeling like you could have prevented the attack

• Wanting to kill the attacker
• Wanting to hurt yourself or others
• Angry at yourself, “Why did I let this happen to me?”

• Sleeping all the time or not being able to sleep
• Not eating enough or eating constantly
• Nightmares/Flashbacks
• Unable to stop crying