Get Info: Stats

Listed below you will find statistics on interpersonal violence in the United States. The statistics are broken down by category.

Sexual Violence


  • College students are most vulnerable to rape during the first few weeks of their freshman and sophomore years. (3)
  • 1 in 4 college women have survived rape or attempted rape. (2)
  • Almost 60% of completed campus rapes that take place on campus occur in the victim's residence, 31% occur in another residence, and 10% occur in a fraternity house. (4)
  • In Utah, 91.4% of rapes were committed by someone the victim knew. (5)
  • 9.8% of victims in Utah report to law enforcement. (5)
  • Nation wide, one-third of college men reported they would rape a woman if they knew they would not get caught. (8)

Dating Violence


  • 32% of students report dating violence by previous partner. (1)
  • 21% of students report violence by current partner. (1)
  • 57% of rapes on campus happened on dates. (2)

Stalking


  • 1 in 12 women and 1 in 45 men will be stalked in their lifetime. (1)
  • 13% of college women are victims of stalking. (1)
  • 80% of stalking victims on campus knew their stalkers. (1)

Alcohol and Violence


  • 75% of male students and 55% of female students involved in date rape had been drinking or using drugs. (6)
  • 21% of college men reported using alcohol and/or drugs as a means of coercion to intentionally impair their victims. (7)

Community Abuse Prevention Services Agency (CAPSA) Statistics, 2005


  • 6,771 calls were made to CAPSA's 24 hour crisis line
  • 307 individuals took refuge in CAPSA shelter
  • 494 requests by Cache Valley law enforcement for advocate responses to domestic violence and rape incidents
  • 2,997 individuals sought counseling advocacy and supportive services

Interpersonal Violence and Persons with Disabilities


  • One recent study found that more than 70 percent of women with developmental disabilities are sexually assaulted in their lifetime, which represents a 50 percent higher rate than the rest of the population. (9)
  • Sobsey and Doe found that 83 percent of women with intellectual disabilities in their sample had been sexually assaulted and that of those nearly 50 percent had been sexually assaulted ten or more times. (9)
  • 85% of women with disabilities will experience abuse at some time in their lives: and individuals with developmental disabilities have 4 to 10 time higher risk of becoming a crime victim than those without disabilities. (10)
  • Negative stereotypes of people with developmental disabilities, including the perceptions that they are suffering, are incapable of making decisions for themselves, and feel little to no physical and emotional pain, increase their vulnerability and decrease their credibility when reporting crimes. (11)
  • In a five-year retrospective study of 4,340 child patients with disabilities in a pediatric hospital, 68% were found to be victims of sexual abuse and 32% were victims of physical abuse. (12)
  • 67% of perpetrators who abused individuals with severe cognitive disabilities accessed them through their work in disability services. (13)
  • People with developmental disabilities are four to ten time more likely to be victims of crime than other peoples. (14)
  • Women with disabilities are more likely to experience abuse by a greater number of perpetrators and for longer periods than non-disabled women. (15)
  • Many people with disabling conditions are especially vulnerable to victimization because of the real or perceived inability to fight or flee, notify others and/or testify about the victimization. (16)
  • Among adults who are developmentally disabled, as many as 83% of the females and 32% of the males are the victims of sexual assault. (17)
  • For individuals with psychiatric disabilities, the rate of violent criminal victimization including sexual assault was 2 times greater than in the general population (8.2% vs. 3.1%). (18)
  • It has been estimated that 83% of women with a disability will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. (19)
  • Among developmentally disabled adults, as many as 83% of the females and 32% of the males are the victims of sexual assault. (20)
  • Women with disabilities are raped and abused at a rate at least twice that of the general population of women. (21)
  • 97% to 99% of abusers are known and trusted by the victim who has developmental disabilities. (22)



References:

  • (1) National Center for Victims of Crime, 2005.
  • (2) Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sex Offenses and Offenders, 1997. Washington, D.C.: U.S Department of Justice.
  • (3) Humphrey, S. and A. Kahn (2000). "Fraternities, Athletic Teams and Rape: Importance Identification with a Risky Group." Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 15 (12): 1313-1322.
  • (4) Fisher, B., F. Cullen and M. Turner (2000). "The Sexual Victimization of College Women." Washington, D.C.: Department of Justice, National, Institute Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics.
  • (5) Rape in Utah Report, Utah CCJJ, 2005.
  • (6) Koss, M.P., (1998). "Hidden Rape: Incident, Prevalence and Descriptive Characteristics of Sexual Aggression and Victimization in a National Sample of College Students." Rape and Sexual Assault, Vol. II. (ed.) A.W. Burgess. New York: Garland Publishing Co.
  • (7) Kosson, D.S., J.C. Kelly and J. W. White (1997). "Psychopathy-related traits predict self-reported sexual aggression among college men." Journal of interpersonal Violence, 12, 241-254.
  • (8) Fisher, B., and Sloan J. Sloan lll (1995). "Campus Crime: Legal, Social and Policy Perspectives." Springfield, lll.: Charles C. Thomas.
  • (9) Sobsey and Doe 1991.
  • (10) Debora Massey of the Domestic Violence Initiative
  • (11) Sobsey, D., and S. Mansell. 1990. "The Prevention of Sexual Abuse of people with Developmental Disabilities." Developmental Disabilities Bulletin 18 (2): 55-66.) (Tyiska, C. 1998. "Working with Victims of Crime with Disabilities." Office of Victims of Crime Bulletin, Washington, DC. Department of Justice, Office of Crime.
  • (12) Willing, J.P., Bower, C.M., and Cotton, R.T. 1992. "Physical Abuse of Children: A Retrospective Review and Otolaryngology Perspective." Archives of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery 118(6): 584-590.
  • (13) Sobsy, D., & D, T. 1991. "Patterns of Sexual Abuse and Assault." Journal of Sexuality and Disability, 9(3): 243-259.
  • (14) Sobsey, D., Wells, Lucardie, R., and Mansell, S. 1995. Violence and Disability; An Annotated Bibliography. Baltimore, MD. Brookes Publishing. Young, M.E., et al. 1997. "Prevalence of Abuse of Women with Physical Disabilities." Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Special Issue. 78(12, Suppl. 5) S34-S38.
  • (15) Young, M.E., Nosek, M.A., Howland, C.A., Chanpong, G., & Rintala, D.H. (1997). Prevalence of abuse of women with physical disabilities. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 78, S34-S38.
  • (16) U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime Bulletin. (2001). Working with victims of crimes with disabilities.
  • (17) Johnson, I., & Sigler, R. (2000). "Forced Sexual Intercourse Among Intimates," Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 15 (1).
  • (18) Hidday, V.A., Swartz, M., Swanson, J., Borum, R., and Wagner, H.R. (1999). "Criminal Victimization of Persons with Severe Mental Illness." Psychiatric Services 50: 62-68)
  • (19) Stimpson, L. & Best, M. (1991). Courage Above All: Sexual Assault Against Women with Disabilities. Toronto: Disabled Women's Network.
  • (20) Stimson, L. and Best, M.C., "Courage Above All:" Sexual Assault against Women With Disabilities, 1991.
  • (21) Sobsey, D., 1994. "Violence and Abuse in the Lives of People with Disabilities."
  • (22) Balderian, N. 1991. "Sexual Abuse of People with Disabilities."

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