Sexual assault occurs at much higher rates among women than men. National survey data show one in six women experiences attempted or completed rape compared to one in thirty three men. The same sources reveal distinct patterns in reporting behavior and lasting effects for survivors of each gender.
Key Takeaways
- Female sexual assault survivors 3x more likely PTSD (49% vs. 16% males) per NISVS 2010-2012
- Only 23% of female sexual assault victims report to police vs. 46% of male victims per NISVS 2010-2012
- NISVS data indicates 98% of female rape victims assaulted by males, 70% of male victims by females
- According to the CDC's National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2010-2012, 1 in 4 women (24.3%) experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner compared to 1 in 7 men (13.8%)
- NISVS 2010-2012 shows women 79.2% of adult victims of rape, men 20.8% primarily "made to penetrate"
Sexual assault statistics show women face far higher rates than men, highlighting the need for targeted prevention and support.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consequences and Outcomes29 stats
01
Female sexual assault survivors 3x more likely PTSD (49% vs. 16% males) per NISVS 2010-2012
02
RAINN: 94% female victims experience psychological distress vs. 80% males
03
BJS NCVS: 56% female victims fear offender vs. 32% males post-assault
04
1in6: Male survivors 70% substance abuse issues vs. 50% female
05
NISVS: Women 37% prolonged absenteeism from work vs. 22% men after sexual violence
06
UK ONS: Female victims 40% depression vs. 25% male sexual assault survivors
07
Australian PSS: 27% women suicidal ideation post-assault vs. 19% men
08
NSVRC: Rape victims females 13x more miscarriages, males less reproductive impact
09
BJS: Female victims 68% changed routines vs. 51% males
10
Canadian: Female survivors 2x hospitalization rate post-sexual assault
11
WHO: Female IPV sexual violence linked to 1.5x HIV risk vs. males lower
12
1in6: 3x male survivors suicide attempts vs. general pop, females 4x
13
RAINN: 33% female victims STDs post-rape vs. 20% males
14
NISVS military: Female vets 30% disability claims sexual trauma vs. 10% males
15
Eurostat: Women 25% long-term health impact vs. 15% men sexual violence
16
BJS prison: Female inmates 35% depression post-victimization vs. 25% males
17
Finnish: Female victims 45% therapy use vs. 30% males
18
Italian: Women 50% anxiety disorders post-assault vs. 35% men
19
German KFN: Female survivors 2.5x injury requiring medical vs. males 1.5x
20
Swedish: Female victims 28% alcohol dependence vs. 22% male survivors
21
New Zealand: Maori women 40% mental health services post-assault vs. men 25%
22
CDC YRBS: Female students 22% considered suicide post-sexual violence vs. 18% males
23
NISVS: Male victims 26% missed 3+ work days vs. 35% females
24
BJS: 81% female victims emotional distress vs. 69% males
25
RAINN: Pregnancy from rape 5% females, males N/A but paternity issues
26
1in6: Male survivors 50% relationship problems vs. 60% females
27
NSVRC: Females 40% revictimization rate vs. 25% males
28
UK: Female victims 55% self-harm vs. 40% male survivors
29
Australian: Women 32% chronic pain post-assault vs. 20% men
Interpretation
Consequences and Outcomes Interpretation
While the data starkly reveals that sexual assault inflicts a heavier average burden of psychological and physical trauma on female survivors, it also illuminates the uniquely devastating and often overlooked crises faced by male survivors, whose suffering is compounded by societal silence and lack of support.
02 · Category
Disclosure and Reporting30 stats
01
Only 23% of female sexual assault victims report to police vs. 46% of male victims per NISVS 2010-2012
02
RAINN: 2 out of 3 sexual assaults not reported, but males more likely to not disclose ever (90% vs. 80% females)
03
BJS NCVS 2019: 77% female victims did not report to police vs. 67% males
04
1in6: 90% male victims lifetime never tell anyone vs. 75% female child victims tell someone
05
UK ONS: 84% women vs. 92% men sexual assaults not reported to police
06
Australian PSS 2016: 15% women reported to police vs. 25% men sexual violence
07
NISVS 2016/17: 32% female rape victims told law enforcement vs. 22% male made to penetrate
08
NSVRC: Fear of reprisal 36% reason women not report, 50% for men
09
BJS: Females more likely report stranger assaults (50%) than intimate (30%), males opposite 40% intimate
10
Canadian GSS: 6% women vs. 12% men reported sexual assault to police
11
Eurostat: 14% EU women reported sexual violence vs. 11% men
12
1in6: Male victims disclose average 20 years later vs. females 10 years
13
RAINN: 5% child sexual assaults reported to authorities, males less likely
14
UK CSEW: Men 70% told no one vs. 55% women
15
NISVS military: Servicewomen 25% reported vs. servicemen 40%
16
BJS NCVS: Police notified in 31% female victimizations vs. 42% male
17
WHO: Only 10% women report partner sexual violence globally, men <5%
18
Finnish: 10% women police report vs. 20% men
19
Italian ISTAT: 12.5% women reported violence vs. higher for men assaults
20
Australian Indigenous: 5% women report vs. 15% men family violence sexual components
21
German KFN: 8% women police vs. 16% men sexual crimes
22
Swedish NTU: Reporting rates similar low, women 20%, men 25%
23
New Zealand: 20% female victims report rape vs. 35% male
24
CDC YRBS: 8% girls told adult vs. 12% boys sexual violence
25
NISVS: Shame reason 20% women not disclose vs. 35% men
26
BJS: Male victims more likely report if injured (60%) vs. females 40%
27
RAINN hotline: 70% callers female, but male calls increasing
28
1in6: Only 16% male victims ever report to law enforcement
29
NSVRC: Barrier for men: not seen as victims 42%, women revenge porn concerns
30
UK: Online disclosure women 30% vs. men 15% sexual assault
Interpretation
Disclosure and Reporting Interpretation
These statistics tragically reveal that while society has conditioned women to expect violence and therefore measure their reporting against a fear of reprisal, it has conditioned men to not even recognize themselves as victims, leading to a profound and silent isolation where even their own pain feels illegitimate.
03 · Category
Perpetrator Characteristics29 stats
01
NISVS data indicates 98% of female rape victims assaulted by males, 70% of male victims by females
02
BJS 2010-2016: In 93% of female sexual assault victimizations, perpetrator male; for males, 79% female
03
RAINN: 96% of people who sexually abuse children are male, but for adult male victims often female
04
1in6: 82% of male child sexual abuse by males, but adult assaults 50% female
05
NISVS 2010: Female victims of rape 98% by male perpetrators, male "made to penetrate" 79% by females
06
UK ONS: For female victims, 90% perpetrators male; for males 65% female
07
Australian PSS: 85% female sexual assault by males, male victims 45% by females
08
BJS: Stranger perpetrators 26% for females, 41% for males in sexual assault
09
NISVS: Intimate partner sexual violence 85% male perps on females, 10% female on males
10
RAINN campus: 90% female student victims assaulted by male students
11
1in6: Juvenile male offenders 90% victimize boys, adult females victimize men
12
Canadian GSS: 88% female victims male perps, 60% male victims female perps
13
Eurostat FRA: 95% women assaulted by men, 55% men by women
14
BJS prison: 69% male inmates victimized by other males, females by males 50%
15
WHO: Female intimate partner violence perpetrators 10% on males, 0.5% males on females sexual
16
NSVRC military: 89% female servicewomen assaulted by males
17
UK police data: 97% rape suspects male for female victims
18
Finnish: 92% female victims male perps, 68% male victims female
19
Italian ISTAT: 93% women male perpetrators
20
BJS NCVS: Relative perpetrators 52% for female victims, 41% males
21
NISVS teen: 78% girl victims male dates, 55% boy victims female dates
22
RAINN: 7/10 child sexual abuse perps male
23
1in6: 35% male victims perps female family
24
Australian Indigenous: Mostly male perps on females, female on males less reported
25
German KFN: 91% female victims male
26
Swedish Brå: 94% convicted sex offenders male
27
New Zealand: 95% rape accused male
28
CDC YRBS: Perpetrators mostly peers same gender pattern
29
NISVS: 80% male victims of "made to penetrate" by current/former partners who are female
Interpretation
Perpetrator Characteristics Interpretation
These statistics dismantle the simplistic myth of sexual violence as a solely male-on-female crime, revealing instead a gendered pattern where men are overwhelmingly the perpetrators against all genders, yet men and boys themselves are victimized at alarming rates—often by women in intimate contexts and by men in others.
More related reading
04 · Category
Prevalence and Incidence30 stats
01
According to the CDC's National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2010-2012, 1 in 4 women (24.3%) experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner compared to 1 in 7 men (13.8%)
02
NISVS 2016/2017 data shows 21.3% of women experienced completed or attempted rape in lifetime vs. 2.6% of men reporting being raped
03
RAINN reports that 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape compared to 1 in 33 men
04
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) NCVS 2019 indicates females comprised 88% of rape/sexual assault victims age 12+, males 12%
05
NISVS 2010-2012: Lifetime prevalence of sexual violence by any perpetrator was 43.6% for women vs. 24.8% for men
06
UK Office for National Statistics 2020: 2.0% of women vs. 0.8% of men experienced sexual assault in past year
07
WHO World Report on Violence 2021: Globally, 6% of women report rape/forcible sex vs. under 1% men in some surveys
08
1in6.org cites NISVS: 1 in 6 men experienced unwanted sexual contact before age 18 vs. 1 in 4 women
09
BJS 2005-2010: Annual rape/sexual assault rate 1.9 per 1,000 females age 12+ vs. 0.2 per 1,000 males
10
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016: 1.1 million women (21%) vs. 237,000 men (4.4%) experienced sexual violence since age 15
11
NISVS 2016/17: 50.5% women vs. 20.2% men experienced contact sexual violence
12
Crime Survey England & Wales 2022: 3.3% women vs. 1.1% men aged 16-59 experienced sexual assault last year
13
Eurostat 2019: 5% EU women vs. 1% men reported sexual violence since age 15
14
NSVRC 2023: U.S. females 82% of sexual violence victims reported to law enforcement, but overall prevalence higher for females
15
Canadian GSS 2014: 33% women vs. 4% men experienced unwanted sexual activity lifetime
16
NISVS: 12-month prevalence of rape 1.2% women vs. 0.5% men made to penetrate
17
BJS NCVS 2021: 89% female victims of sexual assault age 12+
18
WHO 2013: 35% women worldwide experienced physical/sexual intimate partner violence vs. 30% men physical only
19
1in6: 71% male victims assaulted by females, but overall female victimization higher
20
RAINN: Every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted, 91% female college victims
21
NISVS 2010: 18.3% men vs. 25.1% women experienced partner sexual violence
22
Finnish survey 2018: 12% women vs. 3% men sexual violence past 12 months
23
BJS 2017-2018: Females 2.7 times more likely than males to be victims of sexual assault
24
Swedish Crime Survey 2022: 1.6% women vs. 0.6% men sexual crimes
25
NISVS teen data: 16% girls vs. 7% boys sexual dating violence
26
UNODC 2020: Female homicide victims from intimate partners 82%, often with sexual assault
27
German KFN 2019: 9.4% women vs. 0.9% men severe sexual violence lifetime
28
Italian ISTAT 2014: 31.5% women vs. 4.7% men sexual violence lifetime
29
New Zealand 2018: 33% women vs. 6% men sexual abuse before 16
30
CDC YRBS 2021: 14% female high school students vs. 7% male forced sexual intercourse
Interpretation
Prevalence and Incidence Interpretation
The data screams that sexual assault is a deeply gendered crime, with women bearing a disproportionate and horrifying burden of violation, yet it also whispers—and we must listen—that men are not immune to this trauma, revealing a complex epidemic where silence is the common enemy.
05 · Category
Victim Characteristics30 stats
01
NISVS 2010-2012 shows women 79.2% of adult victims of rape, men 20.8% primarily "made to penetrate"
02
BJS NCVS: 70% female sexual assault victims age 12-24, males more evenly distributed across ages
03
RAINN: 94% of female college rape victims assaulted by acquaintances vs. 80% male victims by females known
04
1in6: Average age male victims first assaulted 9 years old, similar to females at 10
05
NISVS: 91% female rape victims white, but black males higher rate of made to penetrate (3.7% vs. 1.7% white)
06
Australian study: Indigenous women 4x higher sexual assault than non-Indigenous, men 3x
07
UK ONS: LGBT women 20% sexual assault vs. 10% straight women, gay men 11% vs. straight 3%
08
BJS: Rural females 1.5x urban sexual assault victimization, males similar
09
NISVS: Disabled women 4x higher rape risk than non-disabled, disabled men 2x made to penetrate
10
Canadian stats: Trans women 59% sexual assault lifetime vs. 47% cis women, cis men 10%
11
YRBS: Hispanic girls 16% sexual violence vs. 12% white girls, boys 8% across races
12
NSVRC: Military women 24% assaulted vs. 4% men during service
13
BJS: Prison females 4.7% sexual victimization vs. 1.3% males by staff
14
1in6: 40% male victims assaulted by family, 50% females by family/acquaintance
15
Eurobarometer: Single women 8% assault vs. married 4%, single men 3% vs. married 1%
16
WHO: Adolescent girls 120 per 1,000 sexual violence vs. boys 30 per 1,000 LMICs
17
Finnish study: Alcohol use at time of assault 50% women vs. 70% men victims
18
Italian ISTAT: Employed women 25% assault vs. unemployed 35%, men 3% vs. 6%
19
BJS NCVS: College-age females 7.1 per 1,000 victimization vs. males 1.4 per 1,000
20
NISVS: Low-income women (<$25k) 30% sexual violence vs. high-income 20%, men 15% vs. 10%
21
UK Stonewall: Bisexual women 15% rape vs. lesbian 6%, gay men 5% vs. bi men 10%
22
Australian Indigenous: Aboriginal women 31% child sexual abuse vs. non 16%, men 12% vs. 5%
23
CDC: Homeless women 36% sexual assault vs. housed 5%, homeless men 20% vs. 2%
24
BJS: Elderly females (>65) 0.8 per 1,000 assault vs. males 0.3
25
RAINN: 42% female victims under 18 at first assault vs. 51% male victims
26
NISVS: Hispanic men 2.1% made to penetrate vs. 0.7% non-Hispanic white
27
NSVRC: Athletes female college 19% assault vs. non 13%, males similar
28
1in6: Clergy abuse 81% male victims vs. general 50% female
29
WHO multi-country: Rural women 15% intimate sexual violence vs. urban 10%, men lower overall
30
BJS NCVS 2019: Black females 3.2 per 1,000 sexual assault rate vs. white 2.1, males 0.5 across
Interpretation
Victim Characteristics Interpretation
Society loves to pretend sexual violence is a simple, monolithic horror, but these numbers scream the messy truth: it's a grim mosaic where gender, age, race, and circumstance paint wildly different, yet universally devastating, victim profiles.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Nathan Caldwell. (2026, February 13). Male Vs Female Sexual Assault Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/male-vs-female-sexual-assault-statistics
MLA
Nathan Caldwell. "Male Vs Female Sexual Assault Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/male-vs-female-sexual-assault-statistics.
Chicago
Nathan Caldwell. 2026. "Male Vs Female Sexual Assault Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/male-vs-female-sexual-assault-statistics.
Sources & references
25 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level