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2. Women are
sexually assaulted because they "ask for it".
Myth. Society attempts to shift the burden of
blame from the assailant to the victim by implying that "she
asked for it". Being a victim has no connection to one’s
dress or "provocative manner". This apparent shift
of blame directs attention to the victim’s behavior
and away from the offender’s actions, thereby absolving
the assailant of his responsibility for the attack.
3. Sexual assault
cannot happen to a respectable woman.
Myth. Any woman can be sexually assaulted, regardless
of her age, appearance, social status, or race.
4. A woman
can prevent sexual assault be resisting her attacker.
Myth. Resistance may increase one’s chances
of injury and perhaps result in death. Every sexual assault
is unique and the issue of resistance and submission should
be evaluated individually. The victim must do whatever she
can to get through the situation and survive. The victim
should rely on her instincts, and whatever she does to survive
is correct for her. Even if she must submit, this does not
imply consent, and in fact, may keep her alive.
5. Most women
actually enjoy rape.
Myth. Most women enjoy consensual sexual relationships,
but rape is neither sexual or consensual. Women do not enjoy
being raped. However, a woman’s "seduction" fantasy
is frequently confused with the supposed enjoyment of rape.
There are important differences. At the fantasy level, the
woman is in control of her scenario, actions, and actors.
During a sexual assault, however, the woman is not in control
of the characters, the events, or her body. In fact, many
victims report that the primary emotions they felt during
the attack were fear for their lives, humiliation, intimidation,
and degradation.
6. Most sexual
assaults are interracial.
Myth. Almost all sexual assaults occur between
members of the same race. Interracial rape is not common,
but it does occur. When it occurs, white victims tend to
report black assailants more frequently than white assailants
and a disproportionate number of black offenders are convicted.
Black victims tend to underreport assaults, especially if
the offender is white. The myth that black men rape white
women may be perpetuated by the publicity afforded to those
assaults that fit cultural and racial stereotypes.
7. Rape is
not a big deal; it’s only sex.
Myth. Rape is a big deal and it is illegal. It
is not committed between consenting adults but is forced
and violent. In fact, rape victims have more in common with
victims of other serious crimes such as physical assault,
burglary, and attempted murder than with partners in a consenting
sexual relationship.
8. Men cannot
be sexually assaulted.
Myth. Men can be, and are, sexually assaulted,
although the incidence of male sexual assault is estimated
to be much less when compared to the incidence rate for women.
When assaulted, men tend not to report the assault as frequently
as women. They prefer to avoid the dilemmas of reporting
and prosecuting that are traditionally experienced by women;
to escape the additional trauma of others doubting their
sexual orientation; and to repress their fears and concerns
about their own masculinity and sexual preference.
9. Most sexual
assault victims react hysterically.
Myth. Individual responses to a sexual assault
are as varied as the individuals themselves and may appear
immediately or may be delayed. One’s reaction to an
event depends on many factors including personality, experience
with similar events in the past, intensity of the event and
reactions of others. Reactions range from hysteria to calm,
rational behavior, with the majority of victims appearing
stunned and bewildered. Reports from women who react in a
calm, rational manner are frequently dismissed and discounted
because these women do not exhibit stereotypical "female" hysteria.
10. A woman’s
past sexual history is admissible in a sexual assault
trial.
Myth. A woman’s past sexual history is no
longer admissible in court. In the past, the woman’s
prior sexual history was used to displace attention from
the assailant onto the victim.
11. Only the
young and beautiful are sexually assaulted.
Myth. Victims range in age from a few months to
90 years of age and come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Victims tend to be chosen for their vulnerability and availability,
without regard for their physical appearance. The attribution
of sexual assault to the victim’s attractiveness is
perpetuated by the myth that rape is a sexual act, and again,
blame and responsibility are placed on the victim.
12. Many women "cry
rape" to protect their reputation or seek revenge
on a lover.
Myth. False reports of rape are rare. Most women
do not volunteer to disclose the intimate details of a sexual
assault, for public record, if the event did not occur.
13. Sexual
assault only occurs in dark alleys and isolated areas.
Myth. A sexual assault can happen anywhere and
at any time. In fact, surprisingly high numbers of assaults
occur in places ordinarily thought safe, such as homes, cars
and offices. Often, a rapist will manipulate a victim to
gain access to a "safe" place because this location
reduces his chances of being apprehended. Also, women tend
to avoid stereotypically dangerous situations such as dark
alleys and isolated areas; hence, higher proportions of assaults
happen in "safe" places.
14. The physician,
after examination of the victim, determines if a sexual
assault took place.
Myth. Sexual assault is a legal definition, not
medical. The judgment of sexual assault is made for the courts.
Physicians furnish medical reports and impressions for the
court’s decision. They do not have the authority to
decide if the victim was assaulted. Regardless of the legal
outcome, if the victim perceives herself as having been violated,
the experience is a significant event in her life and should
be treated as such.
15. A woman
cannot be raped by her husband.
Myth. This myth has its roots in the concept that
a woman is the private property of her husband and is consequently
at his sexual disposal. Although the laws vary, marital rape
is now a criminal offense in most states. However, this is
still probably one of the most difficult types of sexual
assaults to prove.
Facts
1. Sexual assaults are usually
planned.
Fact. Most sexual assaults are planned in advance
by the assailant. The act is premeditated but the specific
victim tends to be chosen at random based on her availability
and vulnerability.
2. Most reported
sexual assaults are true.
Fact. Reported sexual assaults are true, with
very few exceptions. FBI crime statistics indicate that of
assaults reported, only 2% are false (Brownmiller, 1975);
this is comparable to other major crime reports. The perception
of false reporting may be based on low conviction rates for
sexual offenders. Low conviction rates result from insufficient
evidence to prosecute, dismissal of trial due to technicalities
and reluctance of victims to testify. For these reasons,
low conviction rates do not imply false reporting.
3. Many sexual
assaults are committed by an assailant known to the
victim.
Fact. The victim is acquainted with her assailant
in approximately 50% of reported sexual assaults. Authorities
estimate this percentage to be even greater for unreported
assaults. Many victims tend not to report an assault by a
family member, lover, date, or acquaintance, believing that
only assaults committed by strangers are sexual offenses.
Other reasons for the reluctance to report this type of assault
include feelings of embarrassment, shame, or self blame;
fear of gossip; emotional ambivalence toward the assailant;
and concern about problematic prosecution. The voluntary
association between victim and assailant tends to raise doubts
and to elicit less sympathy than an assault involving a stranger.
Society is less likely to acknowledge a sexual assault of
this type because of preconceived notions and myths about "real" rape
and traditional sex role stereotypes ("she says no when
she means yes"). These suppositions are reinforced through
the media and by cultural images concerning sexual interaction.
4. Most parents
who sexually abuse their children have a history of
sexual abuse, physical abuse, and/or neglect during
their own childhood.
Fact. Many factors are involved in the sexual
abuse of children. One of the most common factors is a history
of abuse in the parent’s background. Abusive parents
have an incidence of prior sexual or physical abuse much
greater than that of the general population.
5. The younger
the victim, the more likely that the assailant is well
known to the family or is a family member.
Fact. As children, victims are taught to trust
family members and close family friends who will protect
them. Abusing adults violate the trust of younger victims.
Children should be encouraged to follow their "gut" feelings
in this type of situation before they become victims. They
need to know the differences between "good" and "bad" touches
and to be encouraged to say "no" to inappropriate
behavior.
6. Most sexual
assaults are not reported to the police.
Fact. Although estimates of reported sexual assaults
vary, sources agree that a very low percentage, for example,
fewer than one third, is actually reported. The Law Enforcement
Assistance Administration estimates that there are 3.36 sexual
assaults committed for each one reported (McCahill, Meyers, & Fischman,
1979). In a random sample of women in San Francisco, Russell
(1984) found that only 8% of women who were assaulted filed
reports. Based on these statistics, one can conclude that
sexual assaults remain unreported to a vast degree.
7. Most sexual
assaults occur during summer months.
Fact. Sexual assaults tend to increase during
warmer months and to decrease during colder months. The potential
for assault increases during warmer months because summer
lifestyles increase a woman’s accessibility outside
of "safe" places; windows and doors are opened
for ventilation; and victims and assailants wear less clothing.
Thus, the assault takes less time and the possibility for
apprehension decreases during warmer months.
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