MYTH: Rape is an act of passion.

FACT: Numerous studies of convicted rapists have revealed that   

            men have various motives for raping women, yet none of             the studies has shown sexual gratification as a primary             motive.

            The reasons given most often by rapists are power,    

            domination, revenge, and humiliation. Rape is an act of     

            aggression and violence accomplished through sexual       

            means.

 

 

MYTH: Rape is committed by insane, violent sex maniacs.

FACT: As many as 80% of all assaults involve acquaintances. An

            assailant might be someone you know intimately. They may

            be a coworker, a friend or a family member.

 

 

MYTH: Sexual assault is an impulsive act.

 

FACT: Seventy-five percent of all assaults are planned in advance.

 

 

MYTH: Only young, pretty women are assaulted.

 

FACT: Survivors range in age from infancy to elderly, and their

            appearance is seldom a consideration. Assailants often

            choose victims who seem most vulnerable to attack: old        

            persons, children, persons with physical or emotional

            disabilities, substance abusers, and homeless persons.            

            Men are also attacked.

 

 

MYTH: If an attacker doesn't use a weapon, it's not rape.

FACT: A weapon is not necessary for rape to occur – physical force,

            psychological pressure, and the victim being under

            the influence of drugs or alcohol - all count as rape.

 

 

MYTH: You cannot be assaulted against your will.

 

FACT: Assailants overpower their victims with the threat     

            of violence or with actual violence. Especially in cases of      

            acquaintance rape or incest, an assailant often uses the   

            victim's trust to isolate her/him.

 

 

MYTH: A person who has really been sexually assaulted will be

             hysterical.

 

FACT: Survivors exhibit a spectrum of emotional responses to

            assault: calm, hysteria, laughter, anger, apathy, shock. Each

            survivor copes with the trauma of the assault in a different

            way.

 

 

MYTH: If it is really rape then the victim will report it to the police  

             right away.

 

FACT: Sexual assault is the most underreported crime. Only one in

            three victims report their assault. The most common reasons

            given by victims for not reporting these crimes are the belief

            it is a private or personal matter and that they fear reprisal

            from the assailant.

 

 

MYTH: Women frequently "cry rape."

FACT: Women rarely lie about rape. The FBI reports that false

             accusations account for only 2% of all reported sexual 

             assaults. This is no higher than false reports for any other

             crime.  

 

 

MYTH: If your husband or partner forces you to have sex it’s not 

             rape.

FACT: If anyone forces or coerces you to have sex against your

            will, it is rape. Even if the perpetrator is your husband or     

            partner. In fact, 14% of women are victims of rape

            committed by their husbands.

 

 

MYTH: Most sexual assault offenders are African American.

FACT: Rape happens to women of every color. Over 90% of all

            sexual assaults occur between people of the same race or

            ethnic background.

 

 

MYTH: If the victim isn't a virgin, then it's not rape.

FACT: The victim's past sexual history has no bearing on whether or

            not she was raped. Even if she has had sexual relations with

            the rapist before, if she was forced to have sex with him

            against her consent, it is still rape.

 

 

MYTH: "She asked for it." Women often provoke rape by their own

             behavior: wearing provocative clothing or non- traditional    

             clothing, going out alone, staying out late, being friends    

             with boys/men, being drunk, etc.

FACT: No one asks to be sexually assaulted. Nor does anyone's

             behavior justify or excuse the crime. People have a right to

             be safe from a sexual violation at any time, any place, and

             under any circumstances. The offender, not the victim, must

             be held responsible for this crime.

 

 

MYTH: Gang rape is rare.

 

FACT: In 43% of all reported cases, more than one assailant was

            involved.

 

 

MYTH: It is impossible to sexually assault a man.

 

FACT: Men fall victim for the same reasons as women: they are

            overwhelmed by threats or acts of physical and emotional

            violence. Also, more than 60% of sexual assaults that 

            involve an adult male victim are gang assaults.

 

 

MYTH: Men who rape other men are homosexual.

 

FACT: The vast majority of males who sexually assault other males

             (including children) are heterosexual). Men and women are

             assaulted for basically the same reasons; so the assailant

             can vent hostility and feel a sense of power. Fear of   

             homosexuality leads some men to attack gay men. The

             motivations for same-sex assault are power and anger.

             Sexual orientation is not a motivation for sexual assault.

 

 

MYTH: As long as children remember to stay away from strangers, 

             they are in no danger of being assaulted.

 

FACT: Sadly, children are usually assaulted by acquaintances; a

            family member or other caretaking adult. Children are    

            usually coerced into sexual activity by their assailant, and     

            are manipulated into silence by the assailant’s threats

            and/or promises, as well as their own feelings of guilt.