Despite the comfort and familiarity of a date, staggering statistics reveal it is often within these very settings that women face their greatest risk of sexual assault.
Key Takeaways
- In the United States, approximately 1 in 6 women have experienced an attempted or completed rape by an intimate partner or acquaintance during their lifetime, with many incidents classified as date rape according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2016-2017 data
- Among college women, 27% report experiencing some form of unwanted sexual contact during a date, as per a study by the National Institute of Justice in 2000 involving multiple campuses
- 80-90% of sexual assaults on college campuses involve alcohol use by the perpetrator, victim, or both, often in date scenarios, from the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 2010 meta-analysis
- Among US women aged 18-24, 51% of rape victims were assaulted by an intimate partner or date per BJS 2013
- College women of color report 25% higher date rape rates than white peers per 2015 Campus Climate Survey
- 82% of date rape victims among juveniles are female per NCVS 2018 juvenile data
- 55% of male college date rapists are white per Koss 1988 follow-up
- 92% of date rapists are known to victim (date/acquaintance) per RAINN 2023 stats
- 70% of campus date rapists are students per 2015 AAU survey
- Only 31% of date rapes are reported to police per RAINN 2023
- 5% of date rape cases lead to arrest per BJS 2019 NCVS
- 2.1% of college date rapes result in conviction per 2015 AAU follow-up
- 25% of date rape victims experience PTSD post-report per 2022 study
- 94% of date rape victims suffer emotional distress lasting >1 week per NISVS 2016
- 33% develop depression within 6 months per 2013 meta-analysis
Date rape affects countless women worldwide and often involves acquaintances.
Health and Social Impacts
- 25% of date rape victims experience PTSD post-report per 2022 study
- 94% of date rape victims suffer emotional distress lasting >1 week per NISVS 2016
- 33% develop depression within 6 months per 2013 meta-analysis
- 50% increase in suicide attempts post-date rape per longitudinal study 2018
- 68% report STIs or pregnancy fears, 5% actual pregnancies per RAINN 2023
- 40% substance abuse onset post-assault per 2019 NSDUH analysis
- $127,000 lifetime economic cost per date rape victim per CDC 2018
- 37% academic performance drop (GPA) for college victims per 2014 study
- 70% relationship trust issues lifelong per 2020 psych review
- 22% chronic pain disorders develop post-date rape per 2017 study
- 45% sleep disorders (insomnia) per trauma impact 2021
- Social isolation increases 60% post-assault per 2016 network study
- 30% job loss or reduced productivity per economic impact 2019
- 52% anxiety disorders onset per NISVS health module
- 15% HIV risk increase from assault injuries per 2018 global review
- 65% revictimization risk within 5 years per 2015 longitudinal
- Therapy utilization: only 35% seek help within year per 2020 data
- 28% self-harm increase per 2019 youth study
- Family relationship strain in 55% of cases per 2017 survey
- 42% eating disorder development per 2022 meta-analysis
- $3.1 trillion annual US cost from sexual violence including date rape per 2017 CDC
- 75% fear walking alone post-assault per safety study 2018
- 20% homelessness risk increase per 2021 housing study
- Cognitive impairment (memory) in 35% for 6+ months per 2016 neuro study
- 50% divorce rate higher if assaulted during marriage date per 2019 study
- 31% chronic PTSD at 9 years post-assault per 2010 Kilpatrick study
- 67% of date rape survivors exhibit hypervigilance per clinical data 2020
- 18% unwanted pregnancy from date rape per Guttmacher 2018
Health and Social Impacts Interpretation
Behind every one of these sterile percentages lies a violently stolen human life, now forced to pay a cruel and compounding debt—to its own body, mind, and future—that no victim ever agreed to finance.
Perpetrator Profiles
- 55% of male college date rapists are white per Koss 1988 follow-up
- 92% of date rapists are known to victim (date/acquaintance) per RAINN 2023 stats
- 70% of campus date rapists are students per 2015 AAU survey
- Fraternity men 3x more likely to commit date rape per 2007 Swartout study
- 25% of college men admit to behaviors meeting date rape definition per 1985 Koss study updated 2010
- Alcohol involved in 75% of date rapes by male perpetrators per Abbey 2002 review
- 15% of male undergrads self-report date rape perpetration per 2019 meta-analysis
- Athletes (male) perpetrate 19% of campus date rapes despite 5% population per 1993 study
- 40% of date rapists have prior sexual offense history per BJS recidivism 2019
- Serial rapists commit 44% of date rapes per NIJ 2008 study
- 62% of perpetrators aged 18-24 per NCVS sexual assault data 2019
- Black males overrepresented at 30% of date rape arrests vs 13% population per FBI UCR 2020
- 85% of date rapists use verbal coercion per 2014 study
- Drug use (non-alcohol) in 20% of perpetrator behaviors per 2015 NCVS supplement
- 50% of perpetrators report entitlement beliefs per 2017 psychology study
- Hispanic males 15% of campus perpetrators per 2015 AAU
- 35% have antisocial personality traits per forensic psych review 2020
- Online dating app users perpetrate 12% more date rapes per 2022 study
- 28% of perpetrators are repeat offenders within 1 year per 2018 tracking study
- Military men 10% higher perpetration rate per 2021 WGRA
- 45% use physical force in date rapes per NIJ 2006
- Low empathy scores in 60% of convicted date rapists per 2016 neuro study
- 22% of perpetrators from upper-middle class per socioeconomic analysis 2019
- Hypermasculine attitudes in 70% per 2013 meta-analysis
- 18% have ADHD diagnosis per 2020 comorbidity study
Perpetrator Profiles Interpretation
This chilling mosaic of data reveals that the typical campus date rapist is often a white, hypermasculine, repeat-offending student—likely in a fraternity or athletics—who feels entitled, uses alcohol as a weapon, and is known to his victim, yet his greatest commonality is a profound lack of empathy wrapped in privilege and opportunity.
Prevalence Rates
- In the United States, approximately 1 in 6 women have experienced an attempted or completed rape by an intimate partner or acquaintance during their lifetime, with many incidents classified as date rape according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2016-2017 data
- Among college women, 27% report experiencing some form of unwanted sexual contact during a date, as per a study by the National Institute of Justice in 2000 involving multiple campuses
- 80-90% of sexual assaults on college campuses involve alcohol use by the perpetrator, victim, or both, often in date scenarios, from the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 2010 meta-analysis
- In a survey of 1,000 undergraduate women, 15% reported being raped on a date, detailed in Koss et al.'s 1987 study published in Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
- UK data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (2020) indicates 20% of women aged 16-59 experienced sexual assault, with 51% by a partner or ex-partner in date-like contexts
- 43% of date rape cases among high school students involved alcohol, per CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) 2019 analysis
- A 2015 study in Violence Against Women journal found 12.8% lifetime prevalence of drug-facilitated date rape among US women aged 18-35
- In Australia, 23% of women reported unwanted sexual experiences on dates per the Personal Safety Survey 2016
- Campus Climate Survey (2015) reported 10.4% of undergraduate women experienced nonconsensual sexual contact via force or incapacitation on dates
- NIJ's 2018 analysis showed 7.8% of women experienced sexual assault by dating partners in the past year
- 22% of female college students report date rape victimization per Fisher et al. 2000 NIJ report
- WHO Multi-country Study (2005) found 10-20% prevalence of intimate partner sexual violence including date rape in urban settings
- 35% of sexual assaults reported to police were date/acquaintance rapes per BJS NCVS 2019
- In Canada, 39% of sexual assault victims knew their attacker as a date per StatsCan 2014 GSS
- 18% of US women aged 18-24 experienced date rape per NISVS 2010-2012
- European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2014) survey: 11% of women experienced sexual violence by date partner since age 15
- 25% of rapes on US college campuses occur on dates per Clery Act data aggregated 2010-2020
- 14% of high school girls report date rape per CDC YRBS 2021
- Swaziland study (2012) showed 28% date rape prevalence among university women
- India NFHS-5 (2019-21) indicates 5% women experienced forced sex by intimate partner/date
- South Africa HSRC survey (2012): 25.3% women lifetime sexual violence by dates/partners
- Brazil study (2016): 16% university women date rape victims
- Nigeria study (2018): 27% female students experienced date rape
- 19.5% US military women report unwanted sexual contact on dates per 2021 WGRA
- 13% Australian university students report date rape per 2017 survey
- 21% UK university women lifetime date rape per 2018 Union study
- 17.2% US women 18-24 date rape per 2015 AAU survey
- 11% Swedish women report partner/date sexual violence per 2017 study
- 24% New Zealand women sexual assault by date per NZVS 2018
- 15.3% lifetime date rape among US Latinas per NISVS subgroup analysis
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
These sobering statistics reveal a grim landscape where trust is routinely weaponized, with approximately one in six women navigating the treacherous intersection of intimacy and violation.
Reporting Statistics
- Only 31% of date rapes are reported to police per RAINN 2023
- 5% of date rape cases lead to arrest per BJS 2019 NCVS
- 2.1% of college date rapes result in conviction per 2015 AAU follow-up
- Fear of not being believed causes 50% non-reporting per NISVS 2016
- Only 23% of date rape victims seek medical care within 72 hours per NSVRC 2020
- Campus reporting: 11% of incidents reported per 2019 Clery data
- Black victims report at 40% lower rate than white per 2017 DOJ study
- 65% of unreported date rapes due to victim blaming self per 2014 survey
- Police clearance rate for date rape: 20% vs 45% stranger rape per FBI 2020
- 90% of campus Title IX date rape complaints dismissed pre-2011 per 2012 review
- Hotlines receive 1 call per 7 date rapes per RAINN 2022
- 38% report to friend first, only 8% to police per 2018 study
- False reports <8% for date rape per Lisak 2010 meta-analysis
- Reporting doubles with bystander intervention training per 2019 eval
- 75% non-report due to alcohol involvement per Abbey 2011
- LGBTQ victims report 50% less per 2015 survey
- 12% increase in reporting post-#MeToo per 2020 BJS
- Only 16% of drug-facilitated date rapes reported per 2015 study
- Victim satisfaction with police response: 30% per 2017 NCVS supplement
- 55% drop charges before trial in date rape cases per 2019 analysis
- Anonymous reporting apps increase campus reports by 25% per 2021 study
- 68% fear retaliation from date partner per non-report reasons 2016 NISVS
- Conviction rate 5x lower for date vs stranger rape per 2018 UK study
- 40% of reports within 1 week, 60% after 1 year per timing data 2020
- SANE exams lead to 2x reporting rate per 2019 eval
Reporting Statistics Interpretation
The grim arithmetic of date rape reveals a system where victims face a discouraging calculus: from the moment of assault, the odds are shamefully stacked against justice, with each step—from reporting to conviction—representing a new attrition point that discourages disclosure and protects perpetrators far more than survivors.
Victim Demographics
- Among US women aged 18-24, 51% of rape victims were assaulted by an intimate partner or date per BJS 2013
- College women of color report 25% higher date rape rates than white peers per 2015 Campus Climate Survey
- 82% of date rape victims among juveniles are female per NCVS 2018 juvenile data
- LGBTQ+ college students experience date rape at 2x the rate of heterosexuals (28% vs 14%) per 2015 AAU survey
- Women with disabilities report 3x higher date rape incidence (40%) per NISVS 2010 disability module
- Fraternity/sorority women 2.65 times more likely to be date raped per 2007 study in Violence Against Women
- First-year college women face 4x higher date rape risk per Fisher 2000 NIJ
- 57% of date rape victims are aged 12-24 per RAINN aggregation of NCVS/BJS data 2020
- Low-income women (<$25k) report 30% date rape prevalence vs 10% high-income per NISVS 2016
- Rural women experience 15% higher date rape rates than urban per 2019 rural health study
- Atheist/agnostic women 1.5x more likely date rape victims per 2014 Baylor study
- 70% of date rape victims drop out of college post-assault per 2014 study
- Transgender women report 50% lifetime date rape per 2015 US Trans Survey
- 35% of date rape victims have prior mental health diagnoses per trauma study 2018
- Single women 40% more likely to experience date rape than married per GSS 2010
- 62% of child sexual abuse survivors experience adult date rape per longitudinal ACE study
- Immigrant women 2x date rape risk due to language barriers per 2017 DOJ report
- Athletes (female) 1.8x higher date rape victimization per 2016 NCAA survey
- 48% of date rape victims are white, 24% Black, 18% Latina per NCVS 2019 demographics
- Women in STEM majors report 20% lower date rape than humanities per 2020 study
- 29% of bisexual women vs 13% lesbian date rape lifetime per NISVS 2016
- Veterans (female) 55% higher date rape post-service per VA 2015 study
- 41% of date rape victims under 21 per campus police Clery reports 2020
- Native American women 2.5x national average date rape per NIJ 2016
- 67% of victims knew perpetrator <1 month (early dating) per 2018 meta-analysis
Victim Demographics Interpretation
These numbers reveal a chilling blueprint of vulnerability, where being young, marginalized, or simply new on campus dramatically increases the odds that the gravest betrayal will come from someone you know or trust.
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