Fact: The motive for rape is aggression and power, not sex. Rapists have a desire to dominate, humiliate, and degrade their victims. Many use the threat of physical violence and intimidation to coerce their victims into submission. Rape is not the result of "pent up" sexual desire. Many rapists report that they do not enjoy the sex act during the rape. In fact, most rapists have access to a normal sexual relationship with a wife or a lover.

Fact: 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.

Fact: Any woman can be sexually assaulted, regardless of her age, appearance, social status, or race.

Fact: Resistance may increase one’s chances of injury and even 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 needs to 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.

Fact: 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. A fantasy seduction is not rape. 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.

Fact: 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.

Fact: 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.

Fact: 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.

Fact: 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.

Fact: 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.

Fact: 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.

Fact: Sexual assault is a legal definition, not medical. The judgment of sexual assault is made by 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.

Fact: 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.

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.

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.

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.

Fact: There are many reasons why a sexual assault victim may not report the assault to the police. It is not easy to talk about being sexually assaulted. The experience of re-telling what happened may cause the person to relive the trauma. Other reasons for not immediately reporting the assault or for not reporting it at all include fear of retaliation by the offender, fear of not being believed, fear of being blamed for the assault, fear of being "revictimized" if the case goes through the criminal justice system, belief that the offender will not be held accountable, wanting to forget the assault ever happened, not recognizing that what happened was sexual assault, shame, and/or shock. In fact, reporting a sexual assault incident to the police is the exception and not the norm. From 1993 to 1999, about 70% of rape and sexual assault crimes were not reported to the police* Because a person does not immediately report an assault or chooses not to report it at all does not mean that the assault did not occur.