Despite the high chances of rape, very little people actually know about what happens in the aftermath. The long term effects surpass the perpetrator going to prison and can in fact affect the victim the longest. The societal perceptions of this horrendous crime lead to false information and can hurt the uninformed victim.
Rape is a sexual assault, typically penetration, where consent was not given. In the United States, one out of every six women is raped in her lifetime, as well as one out of every thirty-three men, according to a turkish university’s study. Despite the “man in a dark alley” perception of perpetrators, around 73 percent of victims know their perpetrator according to a 2005 National Crime Victimization Survey. A friend or acquaintance is the most common perpetrator at 38 percent, with an intimate being at 28 percent. 26 percent of perpetrators are strangers,7 percent are committed by a relative, and over 2 percent is unknow. In a 1997 Sex Offenses and Offenders Study, it was found that four-tenths of rapes happen in the victim's home and two-tenths in the home of a friend,relative, or neighbor. The most common time for a rape is between six o'clock in the evening and midnight, with 43
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The perpetrator is often referred to as “a misguided child who made a mistake” or are given the excuse where “she (the victim) tempted him.” In a striking contrast,the victim is blamed for not using preventative measures. The perpetrator can be humanized, and the victim criminalized, by rape myths. Rape myths are prejudicial/stereotyped attitudes and beliefs held about rape that are generally false, yet widely held. Common rape myths are “wearing provocative clothing makes you more likely to be raped”, “most rape confessions are lies”, “women fantasize about being raped”, etc. These beliefs are harmful and can make a victim not want to speak out and feel like it is their