In US, More Women Were Raped Last Year Than Smoke Cigarettes

Even before the FBI updated its antiquated definition of what constitutes “rape” to include acts that include non-forcible assault and crimes against men, the United States was experiencing an epidemic of sexual violence.

Findings from a study started in 2010 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that nearly 1 in 5 women are estimated to have been the victims of rape. In almost all cases the perpetrator was someone the victim knew and more than half of the time the perpetrator was their own partner. For 80% of the victims their first rape occurred before age 25; for 42% that dropped to before age 18.

These are just some of the preliminary findings from the first annual report of what will be an ongoing, nationally representative survey of sexual violence in the US. The survey also looked at the rising prevalence of stalking and harassment. In 2010 the study estimates that 1.27 million American women were raped– the equivalent to one woman every 29 seconds–and 5.1 million were stalked–the equivalent to one woman every 7 seconds.

To put it in perspective, according to the findings more women have been raped than currently smoke cigarettes.

With this new data, and with a Department of Justice finally willing to track sexual violence in a way that is meaningful, just maybe we can take a step away from a culture that perpetuates rape and sexual violence to one that respects the physical autonomy of every American.

Success! FBI Changes Its Definition Of Rape

Read more: fbi, rape, rape culture, sexual assault, sexual violence, smoking

Photo from Thinkstockphotos.com

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Martha E.

7:24AM PDT on Apr 21, 2012

I AM surprised! There are a lot of angry men with power issues out there, more than I thought.

send a green star

Hassam A.

10:30AM PDT on Mar 19, 2012

Social Vales of Liberal/ Democratic/Modern Society..
Shame on US(The so called Champion of Women Rights)

Cheryl B.

6:45AM PST on Feb 11, 2012

scary

LMj S.

8:12PM PST on Feb 2, 2012

sadly not surprised, thank you.

Veronica C.

7:25PM PST on Feb 2, 2012

That's a strange comparison though.

Sarah M.

10:11PM PST on Jan 23, 2012

Thank you for spreading awareness.

Philip F.

12:38PM PST on Jan 19, 2012

This tells us that the number of women who had been raped by the year 2010 not in the year 2010 exceeded the number of women who regularly smoked in that year. The two figures bear no relationship to each other. It really does not help to falsely bandy round statistics in this sensationalist way. It also reduces the credibility of those who seek to highlight the genuinely horrifying number of women who suffer serious sexual assault.

KS G.

4:17AM PST on Jan 19, 2012

Thanks for the article.

Peter M.

4:13AM PST on Jan 19, 2012

hope this changes for the better