3% of inmates of U.S. jails sexually victimized: report
Steven Edwards , Canwest News ServicePublished: Wednesday, June 25, 2008
NEW YORK - Widely held misconceptions about the extent and nature of sexual victimization in U.S. jails are indirectly exposed in the results of a study released here Wednesday.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Sexual Victimization in Local Jails 2007 study - the first of its kind for those facilities - reports that 3.2 per cent of inmates questioned say they've been targets of sexual predators behind bars.
Criteria for listing oneself as a victim included not only rape, but being inappropriately touched.
Authors of the study acknowledged that many in the wider public will be surprised at the findings.One myth is that rape behind bars is relatively widespread. "Those things happen and we're finding them, but it isn't the 20 per cent figure that some believe," said Allen Beck, senior statistical adviser for the Bureau of Justice Statistics, who jointly led the study.
"The prevalence of such acts is relatively small."
Among other findings, the profiles of some of the most likely inmates to be victimized produced surprises - even for the experts.The incidence of people of mixed race as victims was higher than the average, as was that of people educated to the college level.
"The mixed-race profile came as a surprise," said Beck.
"Vulnerabilities in terms of race exist and are complex things to explain."
As for the college graduate factor, Beck noted that separate statistics show crime is relatively less prevalent among people with high levels of education, suggesting they are less likely to previously have been in jail.
"They may be less experienced inmates," he said.
The profiles of the predators also could surprise some: while the victim reports showed more than half were prison staff, a significant number of that group included women guards on male inmates.
According to the report, nearly 62 per cent of all reported incidents of staff sexual misconduct involved female staff with male inmates; eight per cent involved male staff with female inmates.
The study, which involved 24,700 inmates, is required under the 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act. It follows a similar study, released in December, that showed 4.5 per cent of inmates surveyed in state and federal prisons reported sexual victimization.
There are 780,000 inmates in jails across the United States, many awaiting sentencing for moderate to serious crimes, or serving short sentences. According to the latest study, women and homosexuals reported markedly above-average levels of victimization.
"What women report is more likely to be the unwanted grabbing, groping, touching abuse, as opposed to sexual acts that involve penetration," said Beck.
Of female inmates surveyed, 5.1 percent reported sexual victimization; 18.5 per cent of inmates describing themselves as homosexual reported being victimized sexually. The corresponding percentages for mixed race and college-educated victims were 4.1 and 4.6.
Showing posts with label statistcs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label statistcs. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Windsor, Ontario date rape research shown attitude of blame for some victims
Don Lajoie, The Windsor Star Published: Wednesday, May 14, 2008
From the frat house to the jury room, victims of date rape who voluntarily used drugs or alcohol prior to their assault are judged more harshly than those whose drinks were deliberately "spiked" by their attackers, says a University of Windsor researcher.
Doctoral student April Girard, who wrote the report in conjunction with her project supervisor, psychology professor Charlene Senn, said the results of the four-year study that surveyed 280 male and female undergraduate students showed the "she-was-asking-for-it" mentality still persists on campus and in society. Voluntary drug use by a woman, Girard said, "decreases perceptions of her worth as a crime victim."
While her paper, The Role of the New Date Rape Drugs in Attributions About Date Rape, to be published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, found that the "perpetrator" is still held responsible for the sexual assault, his actions are "marginally excused" in cases where the victims voluntarily may have drunk to excess or taken illegal drugs before the crime was committed.
"Women's voluntary consumption of drugs prior to a sexual assault reduced perceptions of perpetrator responsibility and blame and increased blame to the victim compared with other situations," the paper's conclusions state.
"Our attitudes remain harsh on women who behave in a way society does not approve of," said Senn. "It remains a real obstacle to justice.... We have to do more education to make sure our criminal justice system, the police and judiciary are not operating from those biases as well."
The participants, who were canvassed about their own sexual experiences, alcohol and drug use and beliefs in rape myths, were asked to read various scenarios involving sex assaults, and then to rate based on percentages how much each person's actions were responsible for the outcome of the incident.
In one scenario both the victim and the attacker are sober. In a second, the victim and the perpetrator have both been drinking the same amount of alcohol. In a third, the perpetrator is surreptitiously mixing the victim's drinks three-times stronger than his own. In the next, the victim has been slipped the date-rape drug GHB. In the final scenario, both are taking drugs.
In all the scenarios, the participants assigned the highest blame to the perpetrator. However levels of blame for the victim increased in the scenarios where they consumed drugs voluntarily. In the involuntary drug scenario the perpetrator was assigned 91 per cent of the blame. Results varied but In the voluntary drug use category, the perpetrator was given 79 per cent of the blame.
There was no significant spread in response depending upon the gender of the participant. However, Girard pointed out, the men were more likely to subscribe to "rape acceptance myths" such as a victim is more responsible if she wears provocative clothing.
Senn added that "in a very tiny minority" of cases, some participants blamed the victim 100 per cent for a rape if she had been voluntarily using drugs before the attack.
"Unfortunately, the results didn't surprise me," said Girard, a doctoral psychology student. "It lives up to stereotypical attitudes. 'She was wearing provocative clothes, what was she doing out at night?' So it's not surprising that people would question her drinking and not conclude a rape is a rape, is a rape."
She said background information she accessed in her research also showed that those same attitudes, to one degree or another, extend into jury rooms and into perceptions in the general population. The Belle River native added that interest in the study has been strong from women on and off campus.
Girard said she came up with the idea for the study because of stories related to her by female friends. She said one friend even ended up so intoxicated she had to be taken home from a Windsor bar despite being the designated driver and drinking only water that night. She suspected drugs were slipped into her glass.
"I thought she shouldn't have to stand guard over her drink just to ensure she's not sexually assaulted," said Girard. "It didn't make sense to me."
Unfortunately, she added, the lesson she learned was, fair or not, young women still need to be vigilant in bars.
"Women already have a difficult enough time coming forward when they've been raped," she said. "We need to educate people further as a way to continue to fight attitudes where people hold women responsible for rape."
From the frat house to the jury room, victims of date rape who voluntarily used drugs or alcohol prior to their assault are judged more harshly than those whose drinks were deliberately "spiked" by their attackers, says a University of Windsor researcher.
Doctoral student April Girard, who wrote the report in conjunction with her project supervisor, psychology professor Charlene Senn, said the results of the four-year study that surveyed 280 male and female undergraduate students showed the "she-was-asking-for-it" mentality still persists on campus and in society. Voluntary drug use by a woman, Girard said, "decreases perceptions of her worth as a crime victim."
While her paper, The Role of the New Date Rape Drugs in Attributions About Date Rape, to be published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, found that the "perpetrator" is still held responsible for the sexual assault, his actions are "marginally excused" in cases where the victims voluntarily may have drunk to excess or taken illegal drugs before the crime was committed.
"Women's voluntary consumption of drugs prior to a sexual assault reduced perceptions of perpetrator responsibility and blame and increased blame to the victim compared with other situations," the paper's conclusions state.
"Our attitudes remain harsh on women who behave in a way society does not approve of," said Senn. "It remains a real obstacle to justice.... We have to do more education to make sure our criminal justice system, the police and judiciary are not operating from those biases as well."
The participants, who were canvassed about their own sexual experiences, alcohol and drug use and beliefs in rape myths, were asked to read various scenarios involving sex assaults, and then to rate based on percentages how much each person's actions were responsible for the outcome of the incident.
In one scenario both the victim and the attacker are sober. In a second, the victim and the perpetrator have both been drinking the same amount of alcohol. In a third, the perpetrator is surreptitiously mixing the victim's drinks three-times stronger than his own. In the next, the victim has been slipped the date-rape drug GHB. In the final scenario, both are taking drugs.
In all the scenarios, the participants assigned the highest blame to the perpetrator. However levels of blame for the victim increased in the scenarios where they consumed drugs voluntarily. In the involuntary drug scenario the perpetrator was assigned 91 per cent of the blame. Results varied but In the voluntary drug use category, the perpetrator was given 79 per cent of the blame.
There was no significant spread in response depending upon the gender of the participant. However, Girard pointed out, the men were more likely to subscribe to "rape acceptance myths" such as a victim is more responsible if she wears provocative clothing.
Senn added that "in a very tiny minority" of cases, some participants blamed the victim 100 per cent for a rape if she had been voluntarily using drugs before the attack.
"Unfortunately, the results didn't surprise me," said Girard, a doctoral psychology student. "It lives up to stereotypical attitudes. 'She was wearing provocative clothes, what was she doing out at night?' So it's not surprising that people would question her drinking and not conclude a rape is a rape, is a rape."
She said background information she accessed in her research also showed that those same attitudes, to one degree or another, extend into jury rooms and into perceptions in the general population. The Belle River native added that interest in the study has been strong from women on and off campus.
Girard said she came up with the idea for the study because of stories related to her by female friends. She said one friend even ended up so intoxicated she had to be taken home from a Windsor bar despite being the designated driver and drinking only water that night. She suspected drugs were slipped into her glass.
"I thought she shouldn't have to stand guard over her drink just to ensure she's not sexually assaulted," said Girard. "It didn't make sense to me."
Unfortunately, she added, the lesson she learned was, fair or not, young women still need to be vigilant in bars.
"Women already have a difficult enough time coming forward when they've been raped," she said. "We need to educate people further as a way to continue to fight attitudes where people hold women responsible for rape."
Friday, April 18, 2008
Montana laws and stats on sexual assault
Montana State Law defines sexual assault as:
"Without Consent"Without consent means that the victim is compelled to submit by force or because he/she is mentally defective, incapacitated, physically helpless or less than 16 yrs (45-5-511). According to this definition, sexual contact with anyone incapable of giving consent (e.g. mentally handicapped, physically disabled, or unconscious) is sexual assault. The inability to say "no" because of any of these factors constitutes "without consent."
Force means the infliction, attempted infliction, or threatened infliction of bodily injury, or the commission of a forcible felony, or the threat of substantial retaliatory action that causes the victim to reasonable believe the offender has the ability to execute the threat (45-5-511).Sexual Assault:A person who knowingly subjects another person to any sexual contact without consent commits the offense of sexual assault (45-502). Sexual Intercourse Without Consent:A person who knowingly has sexual intercourse without consent with another person commits the offense of sexual intercourse without consent (45-5-503).
The article also states that parents of 15 to 24 year olds have a duty to teach them abous sexual assault and what to watch out for. These stats about Montana State University assaults are taken from the male anti-rape organization, Men Stopping Rape.
In 2001,Student Health Services & Health Promotion conducted a survey of Montana State University women. A total of 448 responded; the following is a summary of the results:14% reported unwanted sex play13% reported unwanted attempted intercourse (not completed, no penetration)7.8% reported unwanted intercourse (completed, with penetration) Of the 84 women who reported rape or attempted rape, the following results were obtained:Context of Assault66% of incidents occurred at an off-campus residence18% of incidents occurred in a residence hall room27% occurred on/following a "date"24% occurred at/following a party60% of the perpetrators were MSU students87% of the victims knew their assailant27% were "well" or "very well" acquainted with their assailants42% of the perpetrators were non-romantic acquaintances (e.g. friend, classmate)
"Without Consent"Without consent means that the victim is compelled to submit by force or because he/she is mentally defective, incapacitated, physically helpless or less than 16 yrs (45-5-511). According to this definition, sexual contact with anyone incapable of giving consent (e.g. mentally handicapped, physically disabled, or unconscious) is sexual assault. The inability to say "no" because of any of these factors constitutes "without consent."
Force means the infliction, attempted infliction, or threatened infliction of bodily injury, or the commission of a forcible felony, or the threat of substantial retaliatory action that causes the victim to reasonable believe the offender has the ability to execute the threat (45-5-511).Sexual Assault:A person who knowingly subjects another person to any sexual contact without consent commits the offense of sexual assault (45-502). Sexual Intercourse Without Consent:A person who knowingly has sexual intercourse without consent with another person commits the offense of sexual intercourse without consent (45-5-503).
The article also states that parents of 15 to 24 year olds have a duty to teach them abous sexual assault and what to watch out for. These stats about Montana State University assaults are taken from the male anti-rape organization, Men Stopping Rape.
In 2001,Student Health Services & Health Promotion conducted a survey of Montana State University women. A total of 448 responded; the following is a summary of the results:14% reported unwanted sex play13% reported unwanted attempted intercourse (not completed, no penetration)7.8% reported unwanted intercourse (completed, with penetration) Of the 84 women who reported rape or attempted rape, the following results were obtained:Context of Assault66% of incidents occurred at an off-campus residence18% of incidents occurred in a residence hall room27% occurred on/following a "date"24% occurred at/following a party60% of the perpetrators were MSU students87% of the victims knew their assailant27% were "well" or "very well" acquainted with their assailants42% of the perpetrators were non-romantic acquaintances (e.g. friend, classmate)
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Ooh la la! "Sexually predatory" French women more assertive in bed than in 1970
The tag line "Sexual Predator" drew me to this article, but alas, I was fooled;) This is only a article about the changing French sexual landscape since 1970.
Are women just like men?" asked Le Nouvel Observateur yesterday, which released extracts of the Study on Sexuality in France, a 600-page tome that brings together 12,000 in-depth interviews with people of all ages conducted during 2005-06.
One of the biggest changes in recent years, according to the report, was that male and female sexual behaviour had become increasingly similar.
The proportion of monogamous French women dropped from 68% in 1970 to 34% in 2006, with the average number of sexual partners for women rising from 2 in 1970 to 5 in 2006.
French women's first experience of sex is now almost as early as that of the opposite sex: in 1950 there was a two-year difference, but the gap has narrowed to four months, to around 17 and a half. Meanwhile, more women remain sexually active for longer than previously: nine-out-of-10 women over 50 are sexually active today, compared to just 50 per cent of that age group in 1970.
"The good old dichotomy (male predators, females patiently awaiting the warrior's return in front of the cave entrance) is in big trouble", said Le Nouvel Observateur.
Female sexual emancipation has been a hot topic in France ever since President Nicolas Sarkozy met Carla Bruni, the Italian model and singer. The couple married last month.
Ms Bruni recently declared monogamy "terribly boring" and spoke in relaxed fashion about her numerous past conquests, including Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton.
"I am a tamer [of men], a cat, an Italian", she told Le Figaro last year.
"I am faithful... to myself. I am monogamous from time to time but I prefer polygamy and polyandry [its female equivalent]."
At the same time, she reinforced old stereotypes that link status and virility, by reportedly declaring: "I want a man with nuclear power."
Despite the changes in female behaviour observed in the study, some things have not altered in 40 years. Men found it easier than women to disassociate sex from love, but the research suggested this was due to nurture rather than nature. The study said: "Young women are still educated to consider their entrance into sexuality as a sentimental-relationship experience."
The abstinence rate for men under 35 is twice as high as for women, and for men under 24, is 20%. The researchers also state that French people are more comfortable with sexual expression, rather than lovemaking.
Are women just like men?" asked Le Nouvel Observateur yesterday, which released extracts of the Study on Sexuality in France, a 600-page tome that brings together 12,000 in-depth interviews with people of all ages conducted during 2005-06.
One of the biggest changes in recent years, according to the report, was that male and female sexual behaviour had become increasingly similar.
The proportion of monogamous French women dropped from 68% in 1970 to 34% in 2006, with the average number of sexual partners for women rising from 2 in 1970 to 5 in 2006.
French women's first experience of sex is now almost as early as that of the opposite sex: in 1950 there was a two-year difference, but the gap has narrowed to four months, to around 17 and a half. Meanwhile, more women remain sexually active for longer than previously: nine-out-of-10 women over 50 are sexually active today, compared to just 50 per cent of that age group in 1970.
"The good old dichotomy (male predators, females patiently awaiting the warrior's return in front of the cave entrance) is in big trouble", said Le Nouvel Observateur.
Female sexual emancipation has been a hot topic in France ever since President Nicolas Sarkozy met Carla Bruni, the Italian model and singer. The couple married last month.
Ms Bruni recently declared monogamy "terribly boring" and spoke in relaxed fashion about her numerous past conquests, including Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton.
"I am a tamer [of men], a cat, an Italian", she told Le Figaro last year.
"I am faithful... to myself. I am monogamous from time to time but I prefer polygamy and polyandry [its female equivalent]."
At the same time, she reinforced old stereotypes that link status and virility, by reportedly declaring: "I want a man with nuclear power."
Despite the changes in female behaviour observed in the study, some things have not altered in 40 years. Men found it easier than women to disassociate sex from love, but the research suggested this was due to nurture rather than nature. The study said: "Young women are still educated to consider their entrance into sexuality as a sentimental-relationship experience."
The abstinence rate for men under 35 is twice as high as for women, and for men under 24, is 20%. The researchers also state that French people are more comfortable with sexual expression, rather than lovemaking.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
6 women killed in first two months of 2008 in MA by violent "partners"
After a murder-suicide last Friday, the number of women killed in the past 2 months by abusive "partners" in Massachusetts has risen to six. Two men killed themselves after killing their "partners."
Friday’s grisly New Bedford murder-suicide came in the wake of the arrest of a Malden man in the murder of his ex-girlfriend, hairdresser Norma Dorce Gilles, who had vanished two weeks ago. Suspect Lesly Cheremond was scheduled to go on trial April 29 for allegedly assaulting Gilles.
The New Bedford murder was the sixth incident of suspected domestic violence homicide in Massachusetts since Jan. 1, said Toni Troop, spokeswoman for domestic violence organization Jane Doe Inc. In at least five of those cases, the victim either had already left or was trying to leave, her abuser, Troop said.
The number of domestic-violence-related deaths over the past three years has risen 289 percent, from 19 in 2005 to 34 in 2006 and 55 last year. Two of the eight deaths this year were suicides committed after a domestic-violence homicide.
Advocates state that a safety plan could have prevented lives from being lost - a plan which includes the intervention of others when domestic abuse happens.
“This is a wake-up call for everyone. These homicides can be prevented,” said Toni Troop, spokeswoman for Jane Doe Inc., a coalition of victims’ advocacy groups. “We need to intervene now.”
“In the same way that most people today realize they have a moral obligation not to let someone they know drink and drive, people need to take responsibility and get involved,” Troop said. “The burden should not be on the victim alone.”
Friday’s grisly New Bedford murder-suicide came in the wake of the arrest of a Malden man in the murder of his ex-girlfriend, hairdresser Norma Dorce Gilles, who had vanished two weeks ago. Suspect Lesly Cheremond was scheduled to go on trial April 29 for allegedly assaulting Gilles.
The New Bedford murder was the sixth incident of suspected domestic violence homicide in Massachusetts since Jan. 1, said Toni Troop, spokeswoman for domestic violence organization Jane Doe Inc. In at least five of those cases, the victim either had already left or was trying to leave, her abuser, Troop said.
The number of domestic-violence-related deaths over the past three years has risen 289 percent, from 19 in 2005 to 34 in 2006 and 55 last year. Two of the eight deaths this year were suicides committed after a domestic-violence homicide.
Advocates state that a safety plan could have prevented lives from being lost - a plan which includes the intervention of others when domestic abuse happens.
“This is a wake-up call for everyone. These homicides can be prevented,” said Toni Troop, spokeswoman for Jane Doe Inc., a coalition of victims’ advocacy groups. “We need to intervene now.”
“In the same way that most people today realize they have a moral obligation not to let someone they know drink and drive, people need to take responsibility and get involved,” Troop said. “The burden should not be on the victim alone.”
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Rapes up in Amarillo, TX, but that may be due to reporting
Reported rapes are up 30% in Amarillo, Texas in 2007 as compared to 2006, but that doesn't mean that there are more rapes actualy occuring. It may mean that reported rapes are up, with more victims coming forward than in times past.
The Amarillo Police Department calls it incident based reporting. Cpl. Jerry Neufeld says when a break-in is reported, if an assault took place at that break-in, the police would report two incidents as opposed to the one event.
In 2007, 438 sexual assault exams were conducted in Amarillo. But La Viza Hollingsworth of Family Support Services says 347 of those were on children under the age of 18.
The FBI says Amarillo's rape rate is about 1.5 times higher than the national average. In fact, Amarillo has the highest rate per capita of sexual assault against women and children.
But Hollingsworth says in the last couple of years, more awareness has been raised. She says that is a good sign. She says "you do have to talk about it. You do have to get counseling, and it's ok to go to the police."
Hollingsworth says through counseling and saying out loud that it happened, victims can be helped.
She also points out that the typical rapist is not a stranger, but someone the victim lives with, whether a boyfriend or spouse.
A distubing finding is that 35% of men would rape someone if they knew they would not get caught, according to the Texas Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
When victims are treated like offenders, even to the extent of being polygraphed, and sex crimes against adults are minimized if the victim was drinking, involved with, or was a prostitute, there is a good chance that rapists won't get caught.
A person who wants to sexually exploit can stay away from these four things and they'll have a hard time getting more than a minor felony conviction, even if they break the law.
1) Minors - minor victims are taken more seriously that adult victims, even if the minor is 17 years and 11 months and the adult is 18 years and 1 month.
2) Force - most laws state use of force is required for a rape comviction against an adult.
3) Fiduciary or custodial relationships - without a teacher/student, guard/inmate or therapist/patient relationship with over 18s, adults with more power can literally get away with using their power to victimize without criminal charges. Sexual harassment lawsuits are civil charges.
4) Drugs or alcohol - without these, coerced or manipulated sexual behavior can never be seen as date rape under current laws.
The Amarillo Police Department calls it incident based reporting. Cpl. Jerry Neufeld says when a break-in is reported, if an assault took place at that break-in, the police would report two incidents as opposed to the one event.
In 2007, 438 sexual assault exams were conducted in Amarillo. But La Viza Hollingsworth of Family Support Services says 347 of those were on children under the age of 18.
The FBI says Amarillo's rape rate is about 1.5 times higher than the national average. In fact, Amarillo has the highest rate per capita of sexual assault against women and children.
But Hollingsworth says in the last couple of years, more awareness has been raised. She says that is a good sign. She says "you do have to talk about it. You do have to get counseling, and it's ok to go to the police."
Hollingsworth says through counseling and saying out loud that it happened, victims can be helped.
She also points out that the typical rapist is not a stranger, but someone the victim lives with, whether a boyfriend or spouse.
A distubing finding is that 35% of men would rape someone if they knew they would not get caught, according to the Texas Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
When victims are treated like offenders, even to the extent of being polygraphed, and sex crimes against adults are minimized if the victim was drinking, involved with, or was a prostitute, there is a good chance that rapists won't get caught.
A person who wants to sexually exploit can stay away from these four things and they'll have a hard time getting more than a minor felony conviction, even if they break the law.
1) Minors - minor victims are taken more seriously that adult victims, even if the minor is 17 years and 11 months and the adult is 18 years and 1 month.
2) Force - most laws state use of force is required for a rape comviction against an adult.
3) Fiduciary or custodial relationships - without a teacher/student, guard/inmate or therapist/patient relationship with over 18s, adults with more power can literally get away with using their power to victimize without criminal charges. Sexual harassment lawsuits are civil charges.
4) Drugs or alcohol - without these, coerced or manipulated sexual behavior can never be seen as date rape under current laws.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Irish study documents prevalence of sexual violence
A new study, conducted in Ireland by the Royal college Of Surgeons in conjunction with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, states that the prevalence of CSA (child sexual abuse) and adult sexual assault on women is 1 in 5 in both cases, and that the prevalence of CSA in boys is 1 in 6, and adult sexual assault on men is 1 in 10. Sexual abuse as kids is assaciated with marked increase in risk of sexual assault.
A Filipino web column (don't ask) has the results of the summary which I have posted below:
Prevalence of Sexual Violence
Child Sexual Abuse (defined as sexual abuse of children and adolescents under age 17 years)
• Girls: One in five women (20.4 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual abuse in childhood with a further one in ten (10.0 per cent) reporting non-contact sexual abuse. In over a quarter of cases of contact abuse (i.e. 5.6 per cent of all girls), the abuse involved penetrative sex — either vaginal, anal or oral sex.
• Boys: One in six men (16.2 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual abuse in childhood with a further one in four-teen (7.4 per cent) reporting non-contact sexual abuse. In one of every six cases of contact abuse (i.e. 2.7 per cent of all boys), the abuse involved penetrative sex — either anal or oral sex.
Adult Sexual Assault (defined as sexual violence against women or men aged 17 years and above)
• Women: One in five women (20.4 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual assault as adults with a further one in twenty (5.1 per cent) reporting unwanted non-contact sexual experiences. Over a quarter of cases of contact abuse in adult-hood (i.e. 6.1 per cent of all women) involved penetrative sex.
• Men: One in ten men (9.7 per cent) reported experiencing con-tact sexual assault as adults with a further 2.7 per cent reporting unwanted non-contact sexual experiences. One in ten cases of contact abuse in adulthood (i.e. 0.9 per cent of all men) involved penetrative sex.
Lifetime Experience of Sexual Abuse and Assault
• Women: More than four in ten (42 per cent) of women reported some form of sexual abuse or assault in their lifetime. The most serious form of abuse, penetrative abuse, was experienced by 10 per cent of women. Attempted penetration or contact abuse was experienced by 21 per cent, with a further 10 per cent experiencing non-contact abuse.
• Men: Over a quarter of men (28 per cent) reported some form of sexual abuse or assault in their lifetime. Penetrative abuse was experienced by 3 per cent of men. Attempted penetration or contact abuse was experienced by 18 per cent, with a further 7 per cent experiencing non-contact abuse.
Characteristics of Sexual Abuse and Violence in Childhood and Adulthood
• Overall, almost one-third of women and a quarter of men re-ported some level of sexual abuse in childhood. Attempted or actual penetrative sex was experienced by 7.6 per cent of girls and 4.2 per cent of boys. Equivalent rape or attempted rape.
Figures in adulthood were 7.4 per cent for women and 1.5 per cent for men. Hence, girls and women were more likely to be subjected to serious sexual crimes than boys and men. Levels of serious sexual crimes committed against women remained similar from childhood through adulthood. Risks for men were lower as children than they were for women and de-creased three-fold from childhood to adult life.
• Of those disclosing abuse, over one-quarter (27.7 per cent) of women and one-fifth (19.5 per cent) of men were abused by different perpetrators as both children and adults (i.e. "revictimised"). For women, experiencing penetrative sexual abuse in childhood was associated with a sixteen-fold increase in risk of adult penetrative sexual abuse, and with a five-fold increase in risk of adult contact sexual violence. For men, experiencing penetrative sexual abuse in childhood was associated with a sixteen-fold increase in the risk of adult penetrative sexual violence, and an approximately twelve-fold increase in the risk of adult contact sexual violence. It is not possible to say that childhood abuse "causes" adult revictimisation. Childhood sexual abuse is, however, an important marker of increased risk of adult sexual violence.
• Most sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence occurred in the pre-pubescent period, with two-thirds (67 per cent) of abused girls and 62 per cent of abused boys having experienced abuse by twelve years of age.
• In four of ten cases (40 per cent), the experience of child sexual abuse was an ongoing, rather than a single, abuse event. For many of those who experienced ongoing abuse (58 per cent of girls and 42 per cent of boys), the duration of abuse was longer than one year.
• A third (36 per cent) of those who had experienced sexual abuse as a child now believe that their abuser was also abusing other children at the time.
A Filipino web column (don't ask) has the results of the summary which I have posted below:
Prevalence of Sexual Violence
Child Sexual Abuse (defined as sexual abuse of children and adolescents under age 17 years)
• Girls: One in five women (20.4 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual abuse in childhood with a further one in ten (10.0 per cent) reporting non-contact sexual abuse. In over a quarter of cases of contact abuse (i.e. 5.6 per cent of all girls), the abuse involved penetrative sex — either vaginal, anal or oral sex.
• Boys: One in six men (16.2 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual abuse in childhood with a further one in four-teen (7.4 per cent) reporting non-contact sexual abuse. In one of every six cases of contact abuse (i.e. 2.7 per cent of all boys), the abuse involved penetrative sex — either anal or oral sex.
Adult Sexual Assault (defined as sexual violence against women or men aged 17 years and above)
• Women: One in five women (20.4 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual assault as adults with a further one in twenty (5.1 per cent) reporting unwanted non-contact sexual experiences. Over a quarter of cases of contact abuse in adult-hood (i.e. 6.1 per cent of all women) involved penetrative sex.
• Men: One in ten men (9.7 per cent) reported experiencing con-tact sexual assault as adults with a further 2.7 per cent reporting unwanted non-contact sexual experiences. One in ten cases of contact abuse in adulthood (i.e. 0.9 per cent of all men) involved penetrative sex.
Lifetime Experience of Sexual Abuse and Assault
• Women: More than four in ten (42 per cent) of women reported some form of sexual abuse or assault in their lifetime. The most serious form of abuse, penetrative abuse, was experienced by 10 per cent of women. Attempted penetration or contact abuse was experienced by 21 per cent, with a further 10 per cent experiencing non-contact abuse.
• Men: Over a quarter of men (28 per cent) reported some form of sexual abuse or assault in their lifetime. Penetrative abuse was experienced by 3 per cent of men. Attempted penetration or contact abuse was experienced by 18 per cent, with a further 7 per cent experiencing non-contact abuse.
Characteristics of Sexual Abuse and Violence in Childhood and Adulthood
• Overall, almost one-third of women and a quarter of men re-ported some level of sexual abuse in childhood. Attempted or actual penetrative sex was experienced by 7.6 per cent of girls and 4.2 per cent of boys. Equivalent rape or attempted rape.
Figures in adulthood were 7.4 per cent for women and 1.5 per cent for men. Hence, girls and women were more likely to be subjected to serious sexual crimes than boys and men. Levels of serious sexual crimes committed against women remained similar from childhood through adulthood. Risks for men were lower as children than they were for women and de-creased three-fold from childhood to adult life.
• Of those disclosing abuse, over one-quarter (27.7 per cent) of women and one-fifth (19.5 per cent) of men were abused by different perpetrators as both children and adults (i.e. "revictimised"). For women, experiencing penetrative sexual abuse in childhood was associated with a sixteen-fold increase in risk of adult penetrative sexual abuse, and with a five-fold increase in risk of adult contact sexual violence. For men, experiencing penetrative sexual abuse in childhood was associated with a sixteen-fold increase in the risk of adult penetrative sexual violence, and an approximately twelve-fold increase in the risk of adult contact sexual violence. It is not possible to say that childhood abuse "causes" adult revictimisation. Childhood sexual abuse is, however, an important marker of increased risk of adult sexual violence.
• Most sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence occurred in the pre-pubescent period, with two-thirds (67 per cent) of abused girls and 62 per cent of abused boys having experienced abuse by twelve years of age.
• In four of ten cases (40 per cent), the experience of child sexual abuse was an ongoing, rather than a single, abuse event. For many of those who experienced ongoing abuse (58 per cent of girls and 42 per cent of boys), the duration of abuse was longer than one year.
• A third (36 per cent) of those who had experienced sexual abuse as a child now believe that their abuser was also abusing other children at the time.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Rape crisis center reports increase in assaults
There have been 502 assaults reported in Hennepin County this year - 78 in September alone. This number is the highest in 30 years.
One woman, brutally sexually assaulted by her best friend's brother, said that just after the attack, "I didn't think I was going to live." While most attackers are known to the victim, there has been an increase in stranger-perpetrated assaults (by 10%) and assaults with physical violence. "We've had significant injuries in a lot of the rapes this summer and we don't normally see that," said Sexual Assault Resource Service (SARS) Center Director Linda Ledray.
The SARS Center provides nurses to all Hennepin County hospitals to treat, counsel, and collect evidence from sexual assault victims.
The reason for the rise in rapes is not clear, but may be connected to an increase in violent crimes overall. SARS center directors believe that mace, self-defence classes, and not walking alone at night are reactionary, rather than rape prevention, geared towards males.
Rape Crisis Center Reports Increase in Assaults
One woman, brutally sexually assaulted by her best friend's brother, said that just after the attack, "I didn't think I was going to live." While most attackers are known to the victim, there has been an increase in stranger-perpetrated assaults (by 10%) and assaults with physical violence. "We've had significant injuries in a lot of the rapes this summer and we don't normally see that," said Sexual Assault Resource Service (SARS) Center Director Linda Ledray.
The SARS Center provides nurses to all Hennepin County hospitals to treat, counsel, and collect evidence from sexual assault victims.
The reason for the rise in rapes is not clear, but may be connected to an increase in violent crimes overall. SARS center directors believe that mace, self-defence classes, and not walking alone at night are reactionary, rather than rape prevention, geared towards males.
Rape Crisis Center Reports Increase in Assaults
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