An estimated 1.94 million rape and sexual assault victimizations occurred in a recent 12-month period. Only 19 percent of survivors report contacting law enforcement afterward, and 43 percent of filed rape cases are dismissed without conviction.
Key Takeaways
- 1,940,000 rape/sexual assault victimizations in the 12 months ending 2023 (estimated)
- 7% of students reported being forced to have sex in the past year
- 7% of women and 1% of men experienced rape or attempted rape in the past 12 months
- 1.6 million victimizations reported to police per year (estimated number, 2010s)
- 14% of non-reporting victims cited belief that police would not take action (survey estimate)
- 12,000+ sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) programs and affiliated training sites supported nationally (number of programs supported, 2022)
- 56% of hospitals in a national sample reported having a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program (study estimate)
- 21,000+ victim advocates supported via federal grants (count, 2023)
- 72% of rape/sexual assault survivors experience at least one mental health impact (review estimate)
- 12% increased risk of PTSD among rape/sexual assault survivors compared with those without assault exposure (meta-analysis estimate)
- 35% of survivors report depressive symptoms following sexual assault (systematic review estimate)
- 56% of sexual assault victimizations had a female offender (2017–2021 NEISS-IPS analysis of emergency department assaults; offender sex distribution estimate)
- 7.3% of high school students reported being physically forced to have sexual intercourse (2019 YRBS estimate)
- 63% of rape/sexual assault cases reported to law enforcement involved victims ages 12–34 (2015–2020 national incident analysis estimate)
- 43% of rape cases filed in the U.S. are dismissed or result in no conviction (case outcome analysis estimate; 2014–2016 administrative outcomes)
Millions of Americans experience rape and sexual assault each year, yet most cases are not reported or lead to convictions.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence & Incidence4 stats
01
1,940,000 rape/sexual assault victimizations in the 12 months ending 2023 (estimated)
02
7% of students reported being forced to have sex in the past year
03
7% of women and 1% of men experienced rape or attempted rape in the past 12 months
04
4.7% of adults reported experiencing rape/sexual assault contact since age 18 (2016 survey estimates)
Interpretation
Prevalence & Incidence Interpretation
In the prevalence and incidence picture, about 1,940,000 rape or sexual assault victimizations occurred in the 12 months ending 2023 and rates remain widespread with 7% of women and 1% of men reporting rape or attempted rape in the past 12 months.
02 · Category
Reporting & Detection2 stats
01
1.6 million victimizations reported to police per year (estimated number, 2010s)
02
14% of non-reporting victims cited belief that police would not take action (survey estimate)
Interpretation
Reporting & Detection Interpretation
In the 2010s, an estimated 1.6 million rape victimizations were reported to U.S. police each year, yet 14% of non-reporting victims said they believed police would not take action, underscoring that reporting and detection are strongly shaped by trust in police response.
03 · Category
Policy & Services4 stats
01
12,000+ sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) programs and affiliated training sites supported nationally (number of programs supported, 2022)
02
56% of hospitals in a national sample reported having a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program (study estimate)
03
21,000+ victim advocates supported via federal grants (count, 2023)
04
19% of sexual assault survivors report contacting law enforcement after an assault (survey estimate)
Interpretation
Policy & Services Interpretation
From 12,000+ supported SANE programs and 21,000+ federally supported victim advocates, policy and services have expanded access to care, yet only 19% of sexual assault survivors report contacting law enforcement, suggesting a meaningful gap between available support systems and survivor engagement.
04 · Category
Health & Justice Outcomes5 stats
01
72% of rape/sexual assault survivors experience at least one mental health impact (review estimate)
02
12% increased risk of PTSD among rape/sexual assault survivors compared with those without assault exposure (meta-analysis estimate)
03
35% of survivors report depressive symptoms following sexual assault (systematic review estimate)
04
20% of survivors report alcohol misuse after sexual assault (systematic review estimate)
05
43% of rape/sexual assault cases dismissed without conviction (administrative outcomes analysis estimate)
Interpretation
Health & Justice Outcomes Interpretation
The Health and Justice Outcomes data show that rape survivors face major mental health and substance challenges, with 72% reporting at least one mental health impact and 35% reporting depressive symptoms, while justice system outcomes remain harsh since 43% of rape and sexual assault cases are dismissed without conviction.
05 · Category
Prevalence2 stats
01
56% of sexual assault victimizations had a female offender (2017–2021 NEISS-IPS analysis of emergency department assaults; offender sex distribution estimate)
02
7.3% of high school students reported being physically forced to have sexual intercourse (2019 YRBS estimate)
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
Under the prevalence angle, sexual violence appears to be driven by a substantial female offender share at 56 percent of sexual assault victimizations, while school-based self-reports show 7.3 percent of high school students experienced physical sexual coercion, indicating that this risk is both present in the broader victimization data and reflected in youth experiences.
More related reading
06 · Category
Reporting & Justice System2 stats
01
63% of rape/sexual assault cases reported to law enforcement involved victims ages 12–34 (2015–2020 national incident analysis estimate)
02
43% of rape cases filed in the U.S. are dismissed or result in no conviction (case outcome analysis estimate; 2014–2016 administrative outcomes)
Interpretation
Reporting & Justice System Interpretation
For the reporting and justice system, most rape/sexual assault reports involve victims ages 12–34 at 63%, yet 43% of U.S. rape cases are dismissed or end without conviction, showing a troubling gap between who is reporting and what the system ultimately delivers.
07 · Category
Economic & Health Impacts6 stats
01
Victims report an average of 6.4 years of reduced health-related quality of life following rape/sexual assault (burden-of-illness estimate, U.S.)
02
Total lifetime costs of rape/sexual assault in the U.S. are estimated at $122.7 billion annually (economic burden estimate)
03
The estimated lifetime economic cost per rape/sexual assault victim is $150,000(economic burden per-victim estimate; 2017 dollars)
04
In a U.S. sample of rape/sexual assault victims seeking services, 69% reported symptoms consistent with at least one DSM-IV diagnosis (clinical outcomes estimate)
05
Sexual violence exposure is associated with a 2.2x increase in risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared with non-exposed individuals (meta-analytic estimate)
06
Rape/sexual assault victimizations are associated with a 1.8x higher risk of major depression (meta-analysis estimate)
Interpretation
Economic & Health Impacts Interpretation
For the Economic & Health Impacts of rape and sexual assault, survivors on average experience 6.4 years of reduced health-related quality of life and the estimated total U.S. lifetime costs reach $122.7 billion annually, alongside mental health risks that are notably higher, with exposure linked to a 2.2 times greater risk of PTSD and a 1.8 times greater risk of major depression.
08 · Category
Programs & Interventions2 stats
01
In 2023, there were 137,399 sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) exams performed across participating programs (operational count)
02
The “National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations” was endorsed by 25+ organizations (endorsement count across stakeholders)
Interpretation
Programs & Interventions Interpretation
In 2023, participating U.S. programs delivered 137,399 SANE exams while the National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations gained support from 25 or more organizations, showing that program delivery and standardized clinical guidance are advancing together.
09 · Category
Operational & Technology2 stats
01
In 2022, 14,832 law-enforcement agencies submitted NIBRS data (count)
02
In 2019, 75% of victim service organizations reported using a case management system (technology adoption estimate)
Interpretation
Operational & Technology Interpretation
For the Operational and Technology angle, the gap is clear: in 2022 only 14,832 law enforcement agencies submitted NIBRS data, while back in 2019 75% of victim service organizations were already using a case management system.
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
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). U.S. Rape Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/u-s-rape-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "U.S. Rape Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/u-s-rape-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "U.S. Rape Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/u-s-rape-statistics.
Sources & references
29 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+12 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)