Sexual Violence
Current estimates suggest that one in six women and one in 33 men will experience attempted or completed rape (i.e., forced oral, anal, or vaginal penetration) in his or her lifetime[2]. One out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed, 2.8% attempted). About 3% of American men—or 1 in 33—have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime[2]. In addition, Child Protective Services agencies substantiated, or found strong evidence to indicate that, 63,000 children a year, a majority of whom were between 12 and 17 years of age, were victims of sexual abuse[3]. Among victims under the age of 18, 34% were under the age of 12, while 66% of victims of sexual assault and rape were age 12-17 years of age[3]. Given the high rates of sexual violence and potential health impacts, it is therefore likely that most health care providers will come into contact with victims of sexual violence.