MISSING CHILDREN

Sexual Violence

An estimated 683,000 rapes occur each year. Only 16% of rape victims report the offense to police.

• More than half of lifetime rapes occur before age 18, and nearly one-third occur before age 12.
• In a national survey, 28% of college women reported a sexual experience since age 14 that met the legal definition of rape or attempted rape; 8% of college men reported perpetrating aggressive behavior which met the legal definition of rape.
• Nearly half of the rapes ad sexual assaults reported to police by women of all ages are committed by friends or acquaintances.
• Victims of rape often experience chronic headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbances, recurrent nausea, decreased appetite, eating disorders, menstrual pain, sexual dysfunction, and suicidal behavior. Sexual assault may more than double the risk of substance abuse.

• Safety Links On This Topic
• Helpline Numbers

Sources: The safety tips in this section were compiled from the following great internet resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/)