Statistics on Violence Against Women

From National Crime Victimization Survey (linked on syllabus):

• Women and girls 12+yrs sustained ~5 million acts of violence each year.
• Women annually report ~ 500,000 rape and sexual assaults.
• Friends or acquaintances commit over ½ of sexual assaults. About 20% sex assaults by stranger.
• Rape and sexual assaults are 10 times higher for women than men. Robbery & aggravated assault higher for men.
• In more recent years, rates for violent victimization converging. Rates for men about same or decreasing a little while rates for women increasing a little.
• Women are 6 times more likely than men to experience violence committed by an intimate.
• In 1992, ~28% of female victims of homicide were killed by husband or signif other.
• Women in lower income brackets more likely to be victims of violence.
• Among violence committed by intimate, women separated from husband 3 times higher than that of divorced women and 25 times higher than that of married women.
• In 1992, 25% of rape victims under the age of 10 in Delaware; 33% under the age of 13.
• When victim is under the age of 12, the likelihood of family relationship is relatively high (about 20% under age 12 raped by father). The older the child abuse victim the less likely the offender was a family member.

From Dept. of Justice Sexual Victimization of College Women (linked on syllabus):

• Over 4 yr. period, estimate 27.7 rapes per 1,000 female students.
• 60% rapes occurred in victim’s residence; 10% fraternity house. 49% did not define their victimization as rape; 5% did not know.
• 90% knew their attacker.
• 13 % said they had been stalked while at school.

From HBO Special from the Memphis Rape Crisis Center:

• A woman is raped every 5 minutes
• 38% of children in America raped or attempted.
• 18% of rape victims are over 60 years old.
• Less than 15% of all rapes brought to trial.
• 50% of convicted rapists rape again within 3 years.

Other examples in the news:

• Canadian man found not guilt of raping wife when he was intoxicated.
• South Carolina man found not guilty of marital rape; videotaped the act while she was tied up.
• 17-yr-old Nigerian girl caned (whipped) for becoming pregnant; she says thru rape.
• Pakistani woman sought medical treatment in US after husband cut off her ears and nose.