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April 9, 2024 | By: Kait M.
Wow, it has been nearly a month since our last blog post! A lot has been happening, but we are back this month to share with you information about Sexual Assault Awareness Month or SAAM.
SAAM takes place every year during the month of April. We take this time every year to come together as a community and talk about sexual violence, support survivors, and spread knowledge and awareness about sexual violence. This year we will also talk specifically about sexual violence in the military and first responder communities along with strategies and resources to support survivors.
Types of Sexual Violence
RAINN defines "sexual violence" as an all-encompassing, non-legal term that refers to crimes like sexual assault, rape, and sexual abuse. We will do out best to define many of these crimes, but do be aware that legal definitions may vary from state to state.
Sexual Assault is unwanted sexual contact or behavior. Some forms of sexual assault include attempted rape, fondling or unwanted sexual touching, forcing a victim to perform sexual acts, and penetration of a victim’s body or rape.
The FBI defines rape as “penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” The state of Maryland defines rape as “Vaginal intercourse, or a sexual act, with another by force or threat of force, without the consent of the other.”
Other forms of sexual violence include child sexual abuse, intimate partner sexual violence, incest, and drug-facilitated sexual assault. Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse that includes sexual activity with a minor whom cannot consent to the activity and does not have to involve physical contact. Intimate partner sexual violence, also known as domestic violence, intimate partner rape, marital rape, and spousal rape is when an intimate partner engages in sexual activity with their partner without consent. Incest refers to sexual contact between family members. Incest is often underreported, but approximately 34% of perpetrators in cases of child sexual abuse are family members of the victim. Sexual assault is considered drug-facilitated when alcohol or drugs are used to compromise a victim’s ability to consent to sexual activity. This can be done by taking advantage of someone’s voluntary drug or alcohol use or by forcing someone to consume drugs or alcohol with or without their knowledge.
Who are the perpetrators?
Most of the time, perpetrators of sexual violence know their victim. According to RAINN, the victim knows the perpetrator in 80% of rape cases (19.5% are committed by a stranger). Of these cases, 39% are committed by an acquaintance, 33% are committed by a current or former intimate partner, 6% are committed by more than one person or the victim cannot remember, and 2.5% are committed by a non-spouse relative.
Fifty percent of perpetrators are 30 years of age or older and 57% are White. Additionally, perpetrators of sexual violence often have criminal histories. Out of every 1,000 suspected rape perpetrators, 370 have at least one prior conviction, 520 will be released while waiting their trial, and 70 will be arrested for committing another crime before their case is decided.
The alarming statistics
Even though there has been a downward trend of reported sexual assaults over the past two decades, the statistics are still alarming. To paint the picture, an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds! And every 9 minutes that victim is a child...
Every year this equates to approximately,
433,648 Americans 12 years of age or older
63,000 children
80,600 incarcerated individuals
And nearly 19,000 Service Members
9 out of 10 victims of rape are female. A majority (55%) of sexual assaults happen at or near the victim’s home. 15% occur in an open, public place. 12% at or near a relative’s home. 10% in an enclosed, but public area like a parking garage. And 8% occur on school property. When the assault occurred 48% of survivors were sleeping or doing something around their home, 29% were traveling to or from work or school, 12% were working, 7% were attending school, and 5% were doing another activity.
Sexual Assault in the military
Sexual assault is a serious problem throughout the military. According to the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, the Department of Defense received a total of 8,942 reports of sexual assault, an increase from the previous year.
When asked by their VA health care provider whether they experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault during military service, about 1 in 3 women and 1 in 50 men respond ‘yes.’ Although women in the military face a higher risk of sexual assault than men, the risk for male soldiers is not insignificant. A survey found that 8.4% (19,300) of active-duty women and 1.5% (16,600) of active-duty men had experienced unwanted sexual contact at least once in the previous 12 months. Another survey also found that Soldiers who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual face a heightened risk. This population makes up about 12% of active-duty service members, but accounted for 43% of all personnel who experienced sexual assaults in 2018.
What happens after sexual assault?
After surviving a sexual assault, it may be difficult to know what to do or how to feel. But we want to share some things that you can do and keep in mind. And remember, this is not your fault!
First, if you are in immediate danger or have been seriously injured, call 911.
You may want to seek medical attention to treat possible injuries or check for injuries you may not see.
Do NOT clean up or straighten up the area where you were assaulted.
Move to somewhere you feel safe.
Do NOT bathe, wash your hands, eat, drink, or brush your teeth.
Go to the hospital as soon as possible and request a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE).
You have several options for reporting the sexual assault.
Call 911 if you are in immediate danger. Help will come to you.
Contact your local police department or visit the station in person.
Visit a medical center and let a medical profession know you want to report the crime.
There is no limitation on when a victim can report a sexual assault to police, however, limitations may differ from state to state on when charges can be filed and a case be prosecuted.
Reporting sexual assault in the military
If you have been sexually assaulted in the military you have several options regarding who you can talk to and how you can report your assault. Always remember that you can contact your Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) or Victim Advocate (VA). Communication between you and your SARC/VA is confidential. You can also call the DoD Safe Helpline at 877-995-5247. This helpline is available 24/7 and is confidential and secure.
You have two reporting options: restricted and unrestricted.
Filing a restricted report means you disclose your sexual assault to a SARC or VA without notifying your command or law enforcement. You can change a restricted report to an unrestricted report at any time. You can file a restricted report of sexual assault, EXCEPT if you have already reported the incident to law enforcement or already filed an unrestricted report for the same assault. When you file a restricted report you are eligible for:
Medical treatment
Sexual assault forensic exam
Counseling
Chaplain services
Special victim counsel
Legal advocacy
Victim advocacy
Expedited transfer or compassionate reassignment under expedited conditions should the situation warrant
If you file an unrestricted report there will be an official investigation and law enforcement will be notified. You can file an unrestricted report to your:
SARC/VA
Law enforcement official
Commander
Or healthcare personnel
You cannot change an unrestricted report of sexual assault to a restricted report. When you file an unrestricted report you are eligible for:
Medical treatment
Sexual assault forensic exam
Counseling
Chaplain services
Special victim counsel
Legal advocacy
Victim advocacy
Command support/intervention
Official investigation
Expedited transfer (must request)
Military protective order (must request)
Are you a Veteran who experienced sexual assault during your time in service (MST)?
Eligibility for MST-related care is extensive, and survivors may be eligible for MST-related care even if they are not eligible for other VA services. The VA provides free treatment for any physical or mental health condition related to MST. Learn about MST and MST-related services at www.MentalHealth.va.gov/MST. If you experienced MST and want to learn more or are ready to seek support you can contact your local VA’s MST Coordinator or talk to your VA healthcare provider. You can also contact a local Vet Center.
Another great resource is the Beyond MST app, which is a free, secure self-help mobile app created specifically to support MST survivors’ health and well-being. The app has over 30 specialized tools and other features to help MST survivors cope with challenges, manage symptoms, improve their quality of life and find hope.
If you are in crisis and need immediate assistance, connect with the 24/7 Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 and pressing 1, texting to 838255 or chatting online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
One sexual assault is too many. Please know that we are here for you. We believe you. We support you.
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Disclaimer
This blog and website represents the opinions of Sarah Haberbosch, LCSW-C and her guests to the blog and website. Views and opinions expressed in the blog and website are our own and do not represent that of our places of work. While we make every effort to ensure that the information we are sharing is accurate, we welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
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