Additionally, an estimated 15.2% of women and 5.7% of men have been stalked at some point in their lives, and 4.2% of women and 2.1% of men reported experiencing such an occurrence in the 12 months leading up to the survey.
“The results presented in this report indicate that a significant number and proportion of female and male U.S. adults have experienced sexual violence, stalking or intimate partner violence during their lifetimes or in the 12 months preceding the 2011 survey,” the study stated. “Because of the broad range of short- and long-term consequences associated with these forms of violence, the public health burden of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence is substantial.”
The majority of female rape incidents involved a perpetrator who was an acquaintance or an intimate partner, the study found. An estimated 44.9% of male victims of rape were raped by an acquaintance, while an estimated 29% of male victims of rape were raped by an intimate partner.
Many incidents of sexual violence occur at an early age. An estimated 78% of female rape victims reported being raped before the age of 25, while 40% said they were raped before turning 18. An estimated 71% of male rape victims reported an incident occurring before the age of 25, while 21% reported being raped before age 18.
An estimated 32% of multiracial women were victims of rape, the largest of any racial group. Around 27% of American Indian/Alaskan Native women reported being raped, while 21% of black women, 20.5% of white women and 13.6% of Hispanic women were victimized.
“Although progress has been made in efforts to prevent sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence, these forms of violence continue to exact a substantial toll upon U.S. adults,” the study concluded.
Follow Steven Ross Johnson on Twitter: @MHsjohnson
