Statistics:

• 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will experience attempted or completed rape in their lifetime
• 82% of rapes are not at the hands of a stranger, rather are known to the victim
• 80% of victims are under the age of 30
• 35% of victims are assaulted in their own homes
• Close to  68% of rapes go unreported to law enforcement making it one of the most undereported and, therefore, underprosecuted crimes in America.
• Less than  3% of rapists will ever spend a day in jail--15 out of 16 people that offend get away with their crime
• 70% of rape victims reported no severe physical injury following their assault.  However, 49% describe being fearful of serious injury or death during the rape itself.  The absence of severe visible injuries unfortunately often makes victims reluctant to report the crime. 
• A significant barrier to reporting is that victims fear they will not be believed.   However, less than 10% of rape case in America are “false” accusations.

People who have been raped are:

• 3 times more likely to suffer from depression
• 6 times more likely to develop PTSD
• 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol
• 26 times more likely to abuse drugs 
• 4 times more likely to attempt suicide

Myths:

The best way to confront a rape myth when you hear one is honestly. And to do that, you have to know the facts.

Myth: Rape and sexual assault are about sexual attraction and gratification. 
Fact: Rape and sexual assault are all about anger, control and domination. 

Myth: A healthy person can resist being raped or sexually assaulted.
Fact: According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 out of every 6 adult women has been a victim of rape, and approximately 92,700 men are raped in the U.S. each year. Healthy and strong people are raped every day. Rape victims are doctors, lawyers, nurses, military personnel, cooks, accountants, students—anyone and everyone could be vulnerable to rape or sexual assault. 

Myth: When it comes to sex, men can be provoked to “a point of no return.”
Fact: Men are physically able to stop at any point during sexual activity. Rape is not an act of impulsive, uncontrollable passion; it is a premeditated act of violence. Research shows that 50% of rapes are planned.

Myth: If a woman goes to her date’s room on the first date, it implies she is willing to have sex.
Fact: Nothing is ever implied. Date rapes comprise 50 to 75% of all reported rapes. The best way to prevent a bad situation is to communicate. If things get hot and heavy and you’re not sure what the other person wants, just ask. Some people feel talking may ruin “the mood.” But doing something without consent is rape—and that’s a real mood killer!

Myth: Rape is usually violent and involves a stranger. 
Fact: Actually around 73% of all rapes and 90% of rapes on college campuses are committed by someone the victim knows. Many rapes involve force or the threat of force, but some rapes are committed when the victim is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or even asleep! Sex against someone’s will is rape under any circumstances.

Myth: When a woman dresses provocatively, she’s asking for trouble.
Fact: Rapists look for easy, vulnerable targets. Thinking that women provoke attacks against them by the way they dress transfers blame from the perpetrator to the victim. Research shows that this particular myth helps others feel better because they think that rape couldn’t happen to them.

Myth: It’s not really rape when a woman changes her mind in the middle of a sexual activity.
Fact: A woman can change her mind at any time. Say you want to stop, say no or simply say you’ve changed your mind. A respectful partner does not want to do something that you don’t want to do.

Myth: Only attractive women are raped.
Fact: Anyone can be raped. Children, the elderly and people with physical and mental disabilities are easy targets of rape because of their vulnerability. Men, gay and straight alike, can and do get raped. Rape is not about passion or uncontrollable lust. It’s about control over another person and it’s an opportunistic act of violence. Heterosexual men are responsible for the majority of all rapes. 

Myth: Anyone who is drunk or high and being a flirt gets what they deserve. 
Fact: Being drunk or high is risky behavior that could have many dangerous consequences. Rape is just one of them. The bottom line: regardless of a person’s behavior, no one deserves to be raped. Furthermore, people who commit crimes while “under the influence” are still responsible for their actions.

Myth: If a person doesn’t fight back, she or he wasn’t really raped.
Fact: Rape can be life threatening, particularly when a rapist uses a weapon or force to accomplish penetration. Submission is not the same as cooperation. Whatever a person does to survive is the appropriate action.

Myth: A victim should be discouraged from dwelling on the rape. She should "forget it".Fact: This advice generally comes from people who are more concerned with their own feelings than the victim's. All victims should be offered the opportunity to talk about the assault with those personally close to them and knowledgeable professionals. Victims who are not allowed to talk about the rape have a much more difficult time recovering form it. 

Myth:  If two people have been intimate in the past, it can't be rape.                                                                        Fact: When two people are intimate, consent is required from both individuals each and every time.  A past history of a sexual relationship does not equal blanket consent

The Most important FACT to remember?

Sex without consent is rape...always