| Myth | Fact |
|---|
| Sexual
assault
only happens to pretty
women who are dressed provocatively. | Sexual
assault can happen to anyone
regardless of their appearance, race, class, age, sex, ethnicity, or
sexual
orientation.
|
| Sexual
assault
is an act of passion. | Sexual
assault is not an act
of passion, but is instead an act of violence or coercion, in which sex
is used as a weapon. Assaults are motivated primarily out of
anger and/ or a need to feel powerful by controlling, abusing,
dominating, or humiliating a victim. |
| Sexual assault victims are
primarily raped by total
strangers. | More sexual
assaults occur between
casual acquaintances or friends than between total strangers. |
| Sexual
assault rarely occurs. | Sexual
assault occurs in 1
in 4 women and 1 in 6 men. |
| Most sexual assault cases
reported to law
enforcement are false. | Only
2-5% of reported cases
of sexual assault are false and only 5-20% of sexual assaults are
reported to law enforcement. |
