GITNUXREPORT 2026

Sexual Assault Perpetrator Statistics

Most sexual assault perpetrators are young males known to the victim who face low conviction rates.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

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Statistic 1

70% of perpetrators use alcohol during assault

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50% use physical force or threats

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40% isolate victim before assault

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35% groom victims over time

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60% target vulnerable individuals like intoxicated

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25% use weapons

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45% deny or minimize actions post-assault

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30% have multiple victims

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20% film or photograph assaults

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55% exhibit entitlement attitudes

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65% premeditate assaults

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28% use verbal coercion only

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52% target sleeping/incapacitated victims

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15% involve accomplices

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40% stalk victims prior

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22% use drugs to incapacitate

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35% exhibit jealousy/control behaviors

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18% repeat with same victim

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27% blame victim publicly

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75% escalate violence over time

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33% use digital tracking

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48% incapacitation via alcohol provided

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26% gang rape participation

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39% misrepresent intentions

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24% collect trophies from victims

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31% have rape myth beliefs

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19% suicidal ideation post-offense

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16% flee jurisdiction after assault

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45% of perpetrators have prior arrests

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30% of perpetrators have prior violent convictions

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25% have prior sexual offense convictions

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40% have substance abuse histories

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20% have domestic violence priors

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35% have juvenile delinquency records

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28% have property crime histories

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15% have mental health institutionalizations

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22% have probation or parole status at time of offense

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12% have prior child abuse convictions

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38% have prior drug convictions

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50% history of alcohol dependence

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18% prior sexual harassment charges

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32% assault convictions before current offense

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25% theft or burglary priors

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16% gang affiliations

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10% prior kidnapping offenses

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42% misdemeanor histories

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14% animal cruelty priors

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27% prior weapons offenses

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36% family violence exposure in childhood

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19% fraud convictions

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44% public intoxication priors

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21% restraining order violations

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13% voyeurism offenses

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29% disorderly conduct records

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17% traffic violations severe

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9% arson priors

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96% of sexual assault perpetrators are male

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70% of perpetrators are under 30 years old

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52% of perpetrators are white

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22% of perpetrators are Black

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15% of perpetrators are Hispanic

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4% of perpetrators are over 50 years old

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60% of perpetrators have a high school education or less

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25% of perpetrators are married

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35% of perpetrators are unemployed

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18% of perpetrators identify as LGBTQ+

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97% of perpetrators are male (child victims)

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40% of perpetrators aged 18-24

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30% Asian perpetrators in urban areas

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10% Native American perpetrators

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20% perpetrators with college education

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50% single perpetrators

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28% employed in skilled trades

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12% military veterans among perpetrators

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8% perpetrators over 40

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85% male perpetrators in military cases

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55% aged 25-34 in workplace assaults

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16% perpetrators of mixed race

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5% female perpetrators in adult cases

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65% urban residents

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22% divorced/separated

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15% homeless at time of offense

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33% blue-collar workers

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7% perpetrators with disabilities

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Only 6% of perpetrators are convicted

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31% of reported cases lead to arrest

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Average sentence is 5-8 years for convicted

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50% of convictions result in probation only

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Recidivism rate 14% within 3 years

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40% of cases dropped before trial

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2% of perpetrators receive life sentences

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65% of convicted appeal sentences

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Registration compliance 75% for sex offenders

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3% of arrests lead to conviction

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58% of perpetrators never prosecuted

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Parole revocation in 20% of cases

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10% receive sex offender registration

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Civil suits win rate 25% for victims

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45% plea bargains reduce charges

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Incarceration rate 5 years post-conviction 30%

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70% of serial perpetrators caught after 3+ victims

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Fine averages $10,000 for misdemeanor

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23% of trials end in acquittal

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35% serve less than 1 year

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Treatment program completion 60%

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12% deported post-conviction

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Victim recantation in 8% leading to dismissal

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55% DNA evidence unused in trials

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Rearrest rate 24% for sex crimes

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4% capital punishment eligible

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Community supervision failure 28%

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80% of perpetrators are acquainted with the victim

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50% of perpetrators are intimate partners

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30% of perpetrators are family members

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25% of perpetrators are friends or acquaintances

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7% of perpetrators are strangers

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60% of campus sexual assaults by fellow students

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42% of perpetrators are coworkers or supervisors

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15% of perpetrators are neighbors

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10% of perpetrators are authority figures like coaches

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5% of perpetrators are online contacts turning offline

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55% of perpetrators are boyfriends/girlfriends

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20% perpetrators are relatives (uncles/aunts)

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15% classmates in school assaults

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12% strangers in public places

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35% dating partners in teen assaults

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18% religious leaders in faith communities

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8% landlords or service providers

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22% online dating connections

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5% caregivers or babysitters

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48% current or ex-spouses

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28% siblings or cousins

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40% peers in college settings

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9% strangers via rideshares

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25% teachers in K-12 assaults

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14% healthcare providers

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11% roommates or housemates

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6% delivery personnel

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Sources

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When we picture sexual assault perpetrators, our minds often conjure shadowy strangers, but the staggering truth is that over 96% of these crimes are committed by men who are overwhelmingly known and trusted by their victims, revealing a crisis of violence deeply embedded within our everyday relationships and communities.

Key Takeaways

96% of sexual assault perpetrators are male
70% of perpetrators are under 30 years old
52% of perpetrators are white
80% of perpetrators are acquainted with the victim
50% of perpetrators are intimate partners
30% of perpetrators are family members
45% of perpetrators have prior arrests
30% of perpetrators have prior violent convictions
25% have prior sexual offense convictions
70% of perpetrators use alcohol during assault
50% use physical force or threats
40% isolate victim before assault
Only 6% of perpetrators are convicted
31% of reported cases lead to arrest
Average sentence is 5-8 years for convicted

Most sexual assault perpetrators are young males known to the victim who face low conviction rates.

Behavioral Characteristics

70% of perpetrators use alcohol during assault
50% use physical force or threats
40% isolate victim before assault
35% groom victims over time
60% target vulnerable individuals like intoxicated
25% use weapons
45% deny or minimize actions post-assault
30% have multiple victims
20% film or photograph assaults
55% exhibit entitlement attitudes
65% premeditate assaults
28% use verbal coercion only
52% target sleeping/incapacitated victims
15% involve accomplices
40% stalk victims prior
22% use drugs to incapacitate
35% exhibit jealousy/control behaviors
18% repeat with same victim
27% blame victim publicly
75% escalate violence over time
33% use digital tracking
48% incapacitation via alcohol provided
26% gang rape participation
39% misrepresent intentions
24% collect trophies from victims
31% have rape myth beliefs
19% suicidal ideation post-offense
16% flee jurisdiction after assault

Behavioral Characteristics Interpretation

These statistics reveal a terrifying orchestration of violence where perpetrators don't act on random impulse, but instead meticulously employ alcohol as a weapon, deliberately target vulnerability, and systematically escalate their control to execute premeditated acts of cruelty.

Criminal History

45% of perpetrators have prior arrests
30% of perpetrators have prior violent convictions
25% have prior sexual offense convictions
40% have substance abuse histories
20% have domestic violence priors
35% have juvenile delinquency records
28% have property crime histories
15% have mental health institutionalizations
22% have probation or parole status at time of offense
12% have prior child abuse convictions
38% have prior drug convictions
50% history of alcohol dependence
18% prior sexual harassment charges
32% assault convictions before current offense
25% theft or burglary priors
16% gang affiliations
10% prior kidnapping offenses
42% misdemeanor histories
14% animal cruelty priors
27% prior weapons offenses
36% family violence exposure in childhood
19% fraud convictions
44% public intoxication priors
21% restraining order violations
13% voyeurism offenses
29% disorderly conduct records
17% traffic violations severe
9% arson priors

Criminal History Interpretation

While the data paints a harrowing portrait of a perpetrator population entangled in a well-documented web of violence, addiction, and systemic failure, it also tragically underscores that sexual assault is rarely an isolated, first-time aberration but rather a predictable symptom of a deeply broken and unchecked pattern of predatory behavior.

Gender and Demographics

96% of sexual assault perpetrators are male
70% of perpetrators are under 30 years old
52% of perpetrators are white
22% of perpetrators are Black
15% of perpetrators are Hispanic
4% of perpetrators are over 50 years old
60% of perpetrators have a high school education or less
25% of perpetrators are married
35% of perpetrators are unemployed
18% of perpetrators identify as LGBTQ+
97% of perpetrators are male (child victims)
40% of perpetrators aged 18-24
30% Asian perpetrators in urban areas
10% Native American perpetrators
20% perpetrators with college education
50% single perpetrators
28% employed in skilled trades
12% military veterans among perpetrators
8% perpetrators over 40
85% male perpetrators in military cases
55% aged 25-34 in workplace assaults
16% perpetrators of mixed race
5% female perpetrators in adult cases
65% urban residents
22% divorced/separated
15% homeless at time of offense
33% blue-collar workers
7% perpetrators with disabilities

Gender and Demographics Interpretation

The unsettling picture painted by these numbers is that the most common profile of a sexual assault perpetrator is not a cartoonish monster lurking in a dark alley, but rather a disturbingly ordinary young man, often white, often undereducated and underemployed, who uses his everyday access and perceived normalcy as a weapon against the vulnerable.

Legal and Statistical Outcomes

Only 6% of perpetrators are convicted
31% of reported cases lead to arrest
Average sentence is 5-8 years for convicted
50% of convictions result in probation only
Recidivism rate 14% within 3 years
40% of cases dropped before trial
2% of perpetrators receive life sentences
65% of convicted appeal sentences
Registration compliance 75% for sex offenders
3% of arrests lead to conviction
58% of perpetrators never prosecuted
Parole revocation in 20% of cases
10% receive sex offender registration
Civil suits win rate 25% for victims
45% plea bargains reduce charges
Incarceration rate 5 years post-conviction 30%
70% of serial perpetrators caught after 3+ victims
Fine averages $10,000 for misdemeanor
23% of trials end in acquittal
35% serve less than 1 year
Treatment program completion 60%
12% deported post-conviction
Victim recantation in 8% leading to dismissal
55% DNA evidence unused in trials
Rearrest rate 24% for sex crimes
4% capital punishment eligible
Community supervision failure 28%

Legal and Statistical Outcomes Interpretation

These statistics reveal a justice system where sexual assault perpetrators face vanishingly small odds of being held fully accountable, creating a de facto lottery of consequences that profoundly fails survivors.

Relationship to Victim

80% of perpetrators are acquainted with the victim
50% of perpetrators are intimate partners
30% of perpetrators are family members
25% of perpetrators are friends or acquaintances
7% of perpetrators are strangers
60% of campus sexual assaults by fellow students
42% of perpetrators are coworkers or supervisors
15% of perpetrators are neighbors
10% of perpetrators are authority figures like coaches
5% of perpetrators are online contacts turning offline
55% of perpetrators are boyfriends/girlfriends
20% perpetrators are relatives (uncles/aunts)
15% classmates in school assaults
12% strangers in public places
35% dating partners in teen assaults
18% religious leaders in faith communities
8% landlords or service providers
22% online dating connections
5% caregivers or babysitters
48% current or ex-spouses
28% siblings or cousins
40% peers in college settings
9% strangers via rideshares
25% teachers in K-12 assaults
14% healthcare providers
11% roommates or housemates
6% delivery personnel

Relationship to Victim Interpretation

These chilling numbers are a stark and grim reminder that danger does not lurk in a dark alley nearly as often as it smiles across a dinner table, sits at the family reunion, or waits in a trusted inbox.

Sources & References

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