In a sobering study released on Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly one in five American women has been raped at least once and one in four has been severely attacked by an intimate partner, reports KTLA News.
If true, the startling statistic means that rape affects almost every family in America.
The survey, which is reportedly the first of its kind, questioned 18,049 men and women in 2010. It also found that almost 80 percent of female victims were first raped before the age of 25. In addition, more than half were committed by a current or former partner, and one in eight female victims were raped by a family member.
Historically, rape did not apply to assaults between spouses. Now, rape encompasses non-consensual sexual intercourse committed even by offenders who have a pre-existing relationship with the victim.
Rape also did not use to take into account sexual assaults or rapes committed against men. However, rape laws now apply to men as well, and the report found that one in seven men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner. One in 71 men said they had been raped at least once.
"This landmark report paints a clear picture of the devastating impact these violent acts have on the lives of millions of Americans," said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement.
For more information on California's rape laws and resources for Los Angeles crime victims, see our Related Resources section.
Related Resources:
- Find a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney (FindLaw)
- Almost 1 in 5 Women in U.S. Have Been Sexually Assaulted, CDC Reports (Bloomberg)
- California Rape Laws (FindLaw)
- Resources for Los Angeles Crime Victims (The Los Angeles Criminal Law Blog)
ShareThis
