“ Sexual Assault” is a term referring to a variety of assaults – rape, attempted rape, incest, indecent exposure, child molestation, forced sexual contact and sexual harassment. All are against the law. When you have experienced sexual assault, it is normal to have many fears and anxieties about what happened, why it happened, and how it happened. Knowing the facts about sexual assault may enable you to deal more effectively with your concerns. “Myths” are false beliefs that society holds about sexual assaults.

Myth – It wont happen to me.
Fact – Anyone can be a rape victim. This crime knows no boundaries. People hold strongly to this myth because it offers them a false sense of security. The truth is, people of all ages, races, socio-economic groups and religious affiliations have been victims of rape. However, more than nine out of ten rape victims involve a victim and an assailant who are of the same race or culture. Men and boys can also be victims of sexual assault.

Myth – Most rapes happen on the spur of the moment by strangers in dark alleys
Fact – Rapist are usually an acquaintance or a friend of the survivor. Most rapes are carefully planned by the rapist and occur in the survivor’s home. Most rapist appear normal and are young and married. They can be of any race, color, or socio-economic class.

Myth – Rape only happens to young women.
Fact – Rape survivors range in age from four months to 92 years. One out of three women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime according to FBI statistics. One out of four girls and one out of seven boys will be sexually assaulted by the time they are 18 years. Men and women of all ages can be victims.

Myth – Rape is not a violent crime
Fact – Rape is a violent crime. Even though most victims are not injured, most rapist do threaten the victim with violence or death. The fear of death or injury is the most terrifying aspect to the attack for most victims.

Myth – Women are “asking for it” by their dress and actions.
Fact – Rape is a crime that the rapist chooses to commit, not the victim. Research shows that the rapists look for available targets they perceive as vulnerable, not women who dress in certain ways. Most rapists cannot even remember what the victim was wearing.

Myth – Rape is primarily a crime of sex and passion.
Fact – Rape is the act of using sex as a weapon in order to be powerful and to humiliate another person. Most rapists have a sexual relationship (i.e., wife, girlfriend) and are not using rape as a sexual outlet.

Myth – Women secretly want to be raped.
Fact – Women do not want to be victims of violence and brutaility. They do not want to be humiliated, degraded, and terrified.

Myth – If a woman does not “look like a rape victim”, she really has not been raped.
Fact – In reality, people who have been sexually assaulted do not always look injured or appear upset. People react differently and most victims are not physically injured.

Myth – Rape could never happen to me because I would fight back.
Fact – This myth helps foster the false sense of security people have when they believe that they could have avoided the same situation by doing something differently. The fact is that even a woman who resists can be raped. When faced with a gun or a knife, or threat of injury, most people freeze. Many rapes which do not involve weapons often involve some time of trickery. If an assailant were to threaten a family member or loved one, most people would consent to save the lives of those they love. Regardless of what the situation is or how you react to it, remember it is not your fault.