Reported sexual assaults represent a fraction of the actual violence. Only 31 percent of sexual assaults are reported to police. The following statistics detail the pervasive nature of this crime and its profound consequences.
Key Takeaways
- Sexual assault victims 8x more likely to attempt suicide.
- 97% of US child sexual abuse by males.
- In the United States, approximately 1 in 6 women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed, 2.8% attempted).
- Only 31% of sexual assaults reported to police.
- Among US women, 18.3% experienced sexual violence by an intimate partner.
Sexual assault remains widespread, with many survivors never reporting to police or seeking justice.
Related reading
02 · Category
Perpetrator Characteristics30 stats
01
97% of US child sexual abuse by males.
02
93% of juvenile sexual assault victims assaulted by acquaintance.
03
82% of adult sexual assault victims assaulted by non-stranger.
04
57% of rapes/incest by intimate partner or family.
05
70% of perpetrators known to victim.
06
In military sexual assault, 89% of attackers male.
07
91% of child sexual abuse perpetrators male.
08
College perpetrators: 96% male.
09
99% of female rape victims assaulted by men.
10
42% of child sexual abusers family members.
11
80% of sexual violence against women by intimate partners.
12
US prisons: 4.4% of inmates sexually assaulted by staff.
13
64% of women raped by intimate partner.
14
50% of acquaintance rapes involve alcohol by perpetrator.
15
60% of perpetrators of assaults on women are white.
16
1 in 10 rapists military-connected.
17
84% of legal system sexual misconduct by men.
18
72% of acquaintance rapists repeat offenders.
19
Fraternity men 3x more likely to rape.
20
25% of male college students admit rape if no violence.
21
43% of men believe women enjoy forced sex.
22
78% of teacher-perpetrated abuse on boys.
23
Perpetrators often use victim incapacitation in 50% cases.
24
35% of perpetrators are relatives.
25
Male athletes 4x more likely to commit assault.
26
95% of campus sexual assaults by students.
27
Intimate partner sexual violence peaks at ages 25-34 for perps.
28
68% of child molesters heterosexual in adult relationships.
29
Only 6% of rapists are strangers.
30
230,860 female victims assaulted by males in US 2021.
Interpretation
Perpetrator Characteristics Interpretation
Across perpetrator characteristics, most sexual assault cases involve someone the victim knows, with 70% of perpetrators known to the victim and non-stranger assaults dominating for adults at 82% as well as juveniles at 93%.
03 · Category
Prevalence And Incidence30 stats
01
In the United States, approximately 1 in 6 women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed, 2.8% attempted).
02
Globally, 1 in 3 women (about 736 million) have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or non-partner sexual violence.
03
In the US, 91% of victims of rape and sexual assault are female, and 9% are male.
04
College women are 3 times more likely to experience sexual assault during freshman year than any other time in college.
05
82% of sexual assaults of juvenile victims involve a family member or acquaintance.
06
In 2021, there were 463,634 victims of rape and sexual assault reported to law enforcement in the US.
07
Lifetime prevalence of rape among US women is 21.3%.
08
1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys in the US experience child sexual abuse.
09
Sexual violence affects 1 in 5 women in the US.
10
In Europe, 23% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence since age 15.
11
47% of US women report experiencing sexual violence other than rape in their lifetime.
12
Globally, 120 million girls under 20 (about 10%) have experienced forced sexual acts.
13
In the US, 1 in 3 American Indian/Alaska Native women experience sexual violence in their lifetime.
14
68% of sexual assaults occur before age 18.
15
In Australia, 1 in 5 women have experienced sexual assault since age 15.
16
US military women: 24% experienced sexual assault during service.
17
In Canada, 51% of women report unwanted sexual experiences.
18
UK: 20% of women aged 16-59 experienced sexual assault.
19
In South Africa, 25% of women reported rape in their lifetime.
20
US transgender individuals: 47% experienced sexual assault.
21
12.5% of US undergraduate women experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.
22
Globally, 6% of women report being sexually assaulted by non-partners.
23
In India, 86% of women face sexual violence in public spaces.
24
US disabled women are 2-3 times more likely to be sexually assaulted.
25
90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator.
26
In the EU, 5% of women experienced sexual violence by non-partner in last 12 months.
27
Brazil: 22.2% of women aged 16+ experienced sexual violence.
28
US: 81% of women and 43% of men report exposure to sexual harassment.
29
Worldwide, 35% of women have experienced intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.
30
In Japan, 7.1% of women experienced sexual violence after age 16.
Interpretation
Prevalence And Incidence Interpretation
The prevalence and incidence data show that sexual violence is widespread, with about 1 in 6 women in the US reporting an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime and 1 in 3 women globally experiencing intimate partner or non-partner physical and/or sexual violence.
More related reading
04 · Category
Reporting And Justice System30 stats
01
Only 31% of sexual assaults reported to police.
02
Of reported rapes, 5% lead to felony conviction.
03
994 perpetrators arrested per day for sexual assault in US.
04
2% of rapists incarcerated for 1+ year.
05
70% of sexual assaults not reported.
06
Rape conviction rate UK: 1 in 70 reported.
07
US: 310,000+ rapes annually, 40,000 reported.
08
60% of unreported due to fear of reprisal.
09
False rape reports: 2-10%.
10
98% of rapists never spend day in jail.
11
Campus: 10% of assaults reported.
12
Black women 50% less likely to report.
13
80% of assaults by known perpetrator not reported.
14
Prosecutor declines 40% of reported rapes.
15
57% of cases with evidence not cleared by arrest.
16
Australia: 15% sexual assaults result in conviction.
17
Victim credibility questioned in 90% of unreported cases.
18
84% of defenses claim consent in trials.
19
Military: 20% of assaults reported.
20
35% of reports by child victims lead to arrest.
21
Rape kit backlog: 100,000+ in US.
22
1 in 50 rapes ends in conviction UK.
23
90% of disabled victim assaults unreported.
24
48% of campus reports not investigated.
25
Indigenous women: 70% assaults unreported.
26
75% of serial rapists never caught.
27
Drug-facilitated assaults: 50% unreported.
28
28% of reports lead to incarceration.
29
False allegations prosecuted: <1%.
30
85% of judges trained inadequately on sexual violence.
Interpretation
Reporting And Justice System Interpretation
In the reporting and justice system, only 31% of sexual assaults are reported to police and just 5% of reported rapes result in a felony conviction, showing that even when cases reach authorities the path to accountability is extremely rare.
05 · Category
Victim Characteristics29 stats
01
Among US women, 18.3% experienced sexual violence by an intimate partner.
02
Black women in US: 22% raped in lifetime vs. 18.8% white women.
03
94% of reported child sexual abuse victims in US are female.
04
US women aged 18-24: highest risk group for sexual assault, 4x national average.
05
80% of sexual assaults on campus involve alcohol use by victim.
06
Lesbian women 2.5x more likely to be raped than heterosexual women.
07
1 in 71 men in US raped in lifetime.
08
Hispanic women US: 14.6% raped lifetime.
09
50% of transgender women victims of sexual assault.
10
US girls aged 16-19: 82 assaults per 1,000.
11
70% of sexual assaults occur to women under 30.
12
Rural women 2x more likely to experience sexual violence.
13
21% of US women unable to perform job/school due to sexual violence.
14
Bisexual women 61.1% rape victimization rate.
15
1 in 4 girls sexually abused before 18.
16
US women with disabilities: 40% sexually assaulted.
17
Indigenous women Australia: 2x non-Indigenous rate of sexual assault.
18
62% of female victims sexually assaulted before age 18.
19
White women US: 17.7% lifetime rape prevalence.
20
35% of women first sexually assaulted between 11-17.
21
Poor women 2x more likely to be raped.
22
1 in 6 boys sexually abused before 18.
23
Separated/divorced women 3x more likely to be victimized.
24
96% of child sexual abuse victims <12 years know abuser.
25
US college students with disabilities 2x assault risk.
26
57% of rape victims are under 25.
27
90% of adult rape victims female.
28
83% of disabled women victims assaulted by someone known.
29
75% of rape/sexual assault victims female.
Interpretation
Victim Characteristics Interpretation
Within the victim characteristics category, young women and marginalized groups stand out, with women aged 18 to 24 facing a 4x national average risk of sexual assault and Black women reporting higher lifetime rape rates at 22% versus 18.8% for white women.
report visual · Breakdown
Mental health toll after sexual assault
Sexual assault is linked to severe and widespread mental health impacts, including suicide attempts and PTSD symptoms.
94%
94% of women experience PTSD symptoms post-assault.
6%
Only 6% of rapists are strangers.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Sexual Assult Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sexual-assult-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "Sexual Assult Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sexual-assult-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "Sexual Assult Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sexual-assult-statistics.
Sources & references
39 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level