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According to The National Crime Victimization Survey, an estimated 500,000 persons were sexually assaulted in the United Stated between 1992 and 1993. Statistics in more recent years have found that there were 249,000 victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault in 2001. While the prevalence of sexual assault in the U.S. is extremely high, the number of incidents is believed to be widely underestimated due to underreporting.
The impact that this traumatizing event can have on sexual assault victims is extensive. While one in every six American women have been sexual assault victims from attempted or completed rapes in their lifetime, female college students are most often the targets of sexual assault. A reported one in every five women on U.S. college campuses has been a sexual assault victim at some point in their lives.
The high number of sexual assault victims on college campuses has been, in part, blamed on the dangers and risks associated to drinking. Researchers have done extensive studies in trying to discover the relationship between date rape and sexual assault victims and the role of drugs and alcohol. According to Lawrence Greenfeld, director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 30 percent of all sexual assaults occur when the perpetrator is under the influence of alcohol.
While it is common for people to blame certain actions on being under the influence of alcohol, sexual assault victims, as well as the general public, should not buy into the misunderstanding that if sexual assault was committed because of binge drinking, the drinking was the cause. Alcohol does reduce inhibitions, but sexual assault victims are the result of people that would commit the offense being sober as well. Being under the influence of alcohol makes it more difficult to perform tasks, which is why people are referred to as being “impaired.”
Many sexual assault victims will try to shut out the trauma and return to life before the attack by trying to immediately put the trauma out of their mind. Returning to relationships or a dating life so soon, while the sexual assault victims are having problems with touching in an intimate manner because of the assault, can only lead to further distress. Because the sexual assault victims try to move on to show they are not affected by the event, it can cause denial, avoidance and numbing.
Studies have shown that female sexual assault victims are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental condition, including anxiety, somatic, depressive, and substance abuse disorders than women who have never been prey to sexual assault. In addition, female sexual assault victims are more likely to suffer suicidal attempts, sexual dysfunction, and general health problems.
The only person responsible for sexual assault is the perpetrator, but unfortunately, some sexual assault victims will look at certain actions or inactions leading up to the event as a way to share responsibility. Violating sexual boundaries is never okay, and more must be done to prevent sexual assaults from occurring and more resources must be provided to sexual assault victims. While the stigma of coming forward is not what it used to be, sexual assault victims must be able to feel they have access to help in non-threatening environments.
There are certain precautions people can take to avoid becoming sexual assault victims, such as avoiding walking or jogging alone at night and staying in well-lit areas. Being aware of your surroundings without allowing alcohol or drugs to cloud judgment can help people make smarter decisions that will not expose them to becoming more vulnerable for a sexual assault to occur.
While a lot of focus on sexual assault victims is placed on women, anyone can be a victim of sexual assault – children, teenagers, people with different mental and physical conditions, the elderly, men and women, and all racial, sexual or economic statuses.
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