Understanding the aftermath of sexual assault
The mental, emotional, and physical effects may last long after an assault. Here’s what to know and how to find help.
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Sexual assault is a difficult and often painful topic to discuss. The content in these pages may be distressing for survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones. If you are experiencing a crisis, reach out to the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline to chat confidentially with a trained professional or call, text, or chat 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline any time of day. Additional resources can be found throughout this slideshow.
Sexual violence is all too common in the United States. Every 68 seconds, a person is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). One in three American women and one in four men has experienced sexual violence involving physical contact in their lifetime, estimates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One in five women has experienced attempted or completed rape. For men, the figure is one out of 38.
Every nine minutes, a child is sexually abused in the U.S., according to RAINN, with one in nine girls and one in 20 boys under the age of 18 experiencing sexual abuse or assault.
The figures for transgender people are higher. Research suggests that one in two transgender people are sexually abused or assaulted at some point in their lives. Some groups within the transgender community—including youth, people of color, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, and people involved in sex work—have higher rates still.
Despite the prevalence of sexual violence, only about 1 in 40 perpetrators will actually end up in prison, RAINN reports.
Sources: RAINN. Scope of the Problem: Statistics. Accessed November 17 + 20
- RAINN. Scope of the Problem: Statistics. Accessed November 17, 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
- Division of Violence Prevention. Preventing Sexual Violence. 2019.
- RAINN. Children and Teens: Statistics. Accessed November 17, 2023.
- Human Rights Campaign. Sexual Assault and the LGBTQ Community. Accessed November 17, 2023.
- RAINN. Sexual Assault. Accessed November 17, 2023.
- RAINN. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Accessed November 17, 2023.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Last Reviewed: May 2023.
- RAINN. Flashbacks. Accessed November 17, 2023.
- RAINN. Depression. Accessed November 17, 2023.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Depression. Last Reviewed: September 2023.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Substance Use and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders. Last reviewed: March 2023.
- RAINN. Self-Harm. Accessed November 17, 2023.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Self-Harm. Last Updated: April 24, 2023.
- Steine IM, Skogen JC, Hysing M, Puigvert L, Schønning V, Sivertsen B. Sexual harassment and assault predict sleep disturbances and is partly mediated by nightmares: Findings from a national survey of all university students in Norway. J Sleep Res.
- Belleville G, Dubé-Frenette M, Rousseau A. Sleep disturbances and nightmares in victims of sexual abuse with post-traumatic stress disorder: an analysis of abuse-related characteristics. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2019;10(1):1581019. Published 2019 Mar 21.
- Brokke SS, Bertelsen TB, Landrø NI, Haaland VØ. The effect of sexual abuse and dissociation on suicide attempt. BMC Psychiatry. 2022;22(1):29. Published 2022 Jan 10.
- Laughlin, Kyra. What Puts Survivors at Increased Risk for Suicide and How to Help. National Sexual Violence Resource Center. September 10, 2018.
- Mainali P, Motiwala F, Trivedi C, Vadukapuram R, Mansuri Z, Jain S. Sexual Abuse and Its Impact on Suicidal Ideation and Attempts and Psychiatric Illness in Children and Adolescents With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2023;25(1):22m03239. Published 2023 Jan 17.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Frequently Asked Questions About Suicide. Revised 2023.
- Palumbo, Laura. The Connection Between Eating Disorders and Sexual Violence. National Sexual Violence Resource Center. February 26, 2018.
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