Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Pledge your support to survivors of sexual assault and abuse and walk with your pup at the same time with the annual Puppy Parade hosted by Copper Shores Victim Support! We do this event every year as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (which is April!). Below are statistics relevant to SAAM that you'll also find out on the event's route. We'd love to see you share these to help spread the word about this. If you do, please use the hashtag #CopperCountrySAAM!
History of #CopperCountrySAAM
This year marks the fourth year in a row the Copper Country, led by Copper Shores, has came together to observe this movement. Early on it was social media posts alone, especially with our friends at Black Ice Comics & Books. In the second year we worked with more community partners like Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, SAIL, Michigan Tech and Finlandia University. In 2021 it took a big step forward when the Puppy Parade was added with support from local law enforcement. We'd love to have you join the conversation by using the hashtag #CopperCountrySAAM.
Statistics from RAINN
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. Below is data they've collected about sexual assaults. More statistics can be found at rainn.org.
- 80,600 Inmates were sexually assaulted or raped each year – RAINN
- 55% of victims are sexually assaulted at or near their home.
- What was the survivor doing when the crime occurred?
- 48% were sleeping, or preforming another activity at home
- 29% were traveling to and from work or school, or traveling to shop or run errands
- 12% were working
- 7% were attending school
- 5% were doing an unknown or other activity
- Every 68 seconds an American is sexually abused
- 21% of TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) college students have been sexually assaulted, compared to 18% of non-TGQN females, and 4% of non-TGQN males.
- The likelihood that a person suffers suicidal or depressive thoughts increases after sexual violence.
- 94% of women who are raped experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the two weeks following the rape.
- 30% of women report symptoms of PTSD 9 months after the rape.
- 33% of women who are raped contemplate suicide.
- 13% of women who are raped attempt suicide.
- Approximately 70% of rape or sexual assault victims experience moderate to severe distress, a larger percentage than for any other violent crime.
- People who have been sexually assaulted are more likely to use drugs than the general public.
- 3.4 times more likely to use marijuana
- 6 times more likely to use cocaine
- 10 times more likely to use other major drugs
- Sexual violence also affects victims’ relationships with their family, friends, and co-workers.
- 38% of victims of sexual violence experience work or school problems, which can include significant problems with a boss, coworker, or peer.
- 37% experience family/friend problems, including getting into arguments more frequently than before, not feeling able to trust their family/friends, or not feeling as close to them as before the crime.
- 84% of survivors who were victimized by an intimate partner experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
- 79% of survivors who were victimized by a family member, close friend or acquaintance experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
- 67% of survivors who were victimized by a stranger experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
- On average, American Indians ages 12 and older experience 5,900 sexual assaults per year.
- American Indians are twice as likely to experience a rape/sexual assault compared to all races.
- 41% of sexual assaults against American Indians are committed by a stranger; 34% by an acquaintance; and 25% by an intimate or family member.
- Among cases of child sexual abuse reported to law enforcement.
- 7% are strangers
- 59% are acquaintances
- 34% are family members
- 8/10 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim
- 19.5% are committed by a stranger
- 39% are committed by an acquaintance
- 33%are committed by a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend
- 6% are committed by more than one person the victim cannot remember
- 2.5% are committed by a non-spouse relative
- Race of Perpetrators
- 57% white
- 27% black
- 8% unknown ethnicity
- 6% other
- 1% mixed group
- Out of every 1,000 suspected rape perpetrators referred to prosecutors
- 370 have at least one prior felony conviction, including 100 who have 5 or more
- 520 will be released—either because they posted bail or for other reasons—while awaiting trial
- 70 of the released perpetrators will be arrested for committing another crime before their case is decided
- Out of every 1,000 sexual assaults 975 perpetrators will walk free.
- 310 are reported to police
- 50 reports lead to arrest
- 28 cases will lead to a felony conviction
- 25 perpetrators will be incarcerated
- Of the sexual violence crimes reported to police from 2005-2010, the survivor reporting gave the following reasons for doing so
- 28% to protect the household or victim from further crimes by the offender
- 25% to stop the incident or prevent recurrence or escalation
- 21% to improve police surveillance or they believed they had a duty to do so
- 17% to catch/punish/prevent offender from reoffending
- 6% gave a different answer, or declined to cite one reason
- 3% did so to get help or recover loss
- Of the sexual violence crimes not reported to police from 2005-2010, the victim gave the following reasons for not reporting
- 20% feared retaliation
- 13% believed the police would not do anything to help
- 13% believed it was a personal matter
- 8% reported to a different official
- 8% believed it was not important enough to report
- 7% did not want to get the perpetrator in trouble
- 2% believed the police could not do anything to help
- 30% gave another reason, or did not cite one reason
How to Help a Friend
This information is provided by the organization End Rape on Campus (EROC).
- Believe the survivor
- The rate of ‘false’ reporting is between 2-8% which is the same rate as that of other violent crimes
- No one asks for or deserves to be sexually assaulted, and it’s important to let your friend or loved one know that you believe them. Your role is not to define sexual assault or “prove” that it happened.
- Questions like “Did you hook up with them before?’ or “that doesn’t sound so serous” show survivors that you don’t trust or believe them.
- When comforting a friend it’s important not to minimize their experience. In many other situations, it’s common to comfort a friend by getting the person to “see the bright side” or try to make the experience seem less serious, bad, or important. This is the opposite of what you should do in cases of sexual violence. If a survivor comes forward to you, support them by listening to them, validating their experience, and saying that you believe them
- Listen and do not interrupt
- It can be hard to resist asking questions, but remember to give the survivor control of the conversation.
- If you would like to hug or reach out to the survivor physically, be sure to ask for permission. Try simply asking, “can I give you a hug?”
- Validate emotions
- There is no one “right” way for survivors to respond to sexual violence
- This means acknowledging that it’s valid for them to feel how they are feeling.
- Supportive phrasing: “I can see why you would feel that way. I just want you to know it’s not your fault”
- Support the survivor’s decisions
- it can be difficult to feel helpless when your friend does not want to go to the police, seek counseling, or get a forensic examination at the hospital.
- sharing an experience of sexual assault with the police or undergoing a physical examination can be harmful to survivors if they are not ready.
- Some survivors never feel ready to take those steps, and that’s okay.
- You may disagree with a survivor’s choice not to seek traditional forms of help, but remember that sexual violence is about power. Letting survivors make the decisions that are best for them is critical to empowering survivors to heal from their traumatic experiences.
- Take care of yourself
- It can be difficult hearing a loved one was hurt. You can only help others if you help yourself.
