Reality Check

The National Center for Victims of Crime reports that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys will experience some form of sexual assault. Other startling statistics include:


· 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will be a victim of sexual assault in their lifetime
· 20 – 25% of college women are raped during their college career
· 80% of women and 40 – 60% of men with disabilities will be sexually assaulted before the age of 25

There's a reality check, eh? I have to mention that the NCVC includes the following in its definition of "sexual assault": rape, incest, child molestation, groping, fondling, inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor, and sexual exhibitionism.

Think of all the women you know and love. Then try to grasp that one in six of them have already or will someday become a victim. Makes you angry, doesn't it?

Some day I will post my story of sexual abuse and rape on this blog. I'm not quite ready for that yet, though. However, I view it as my personal responsibility to educate as many people as I possibly can on the very real and very destructive reality of sexual violence.

If you would like more information on statistics or resources, I suggest checking out the following organizations:

RAINN (The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) http://www.rainn.org/

Stop It Now (Together We Can Prevent the Sexual Abuse of Children) http://www.stopitnow.org/

Child Help (Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse: http://www.childhelp.org/

Pandora's Project (Support and resources for survivors of rape and sexual abuse) http://www.pandys.org/

ASCA (Adult Survivors of Child Abuse) http://www.ascasupport.org/