Facts on Sexual Assaults

85% of sexual assault victims know their attacker.

Many survivors of sexual assault struggle with self blame, primarily because they may have known their assailant. Many of these assaults happen on a date or at other social situations where the victim may have been drinking or using recreational drugs. This does not make the attack the survivor's fault or responsibility. The rapist is always to blame for rape.

Date rape is not about miscommunication, mixed signals, or conflicting messages. It is about people who disregard what they hear and see and refuse to respect the feelings and boundaries of others.

Sexual abuse is a highly self-centered act, and although some offenders may try to convince their victims otherwise, sexual assault does not occur by accident or impulse. Many rapists set out to inflict harm on others. Some simply do not care how much they harm another person. They use sex as a way to express hostility and anger, and as a way to act out their desire for power and control.

Many people believe that only women are raped, and that only men commit rape. This is false. Studies indicate that between 5 and 7 percent of all rapes are committed against men. This doesn't mean that male victims feel only 5% of the pain female victims feel. Any man or boy who is sexually assaulted deserves to be believed and supported in his recovery. The number of male survivors may actually be much higher, since sexual assaults with male victims are even more underreported than assaults with female victims. The sexual assault laws in Illinois are gender-neutral; this means that the law recognizes that sexual assault can be committed by a man OR a woman, and it can be committed against a man OR a woman. Sexual assault can be committed by a man against a man or by a woman against a woman.

It is no excuse under Illinois law that the victim of an assault was the spouse of the offender. If someone forces another person to engage in sexual activities against her or his will, that is rape. Marriage does not give anyone the right to sex.

It is illegal to have sex with someone who is unable to consent. Many people think this only applies to unconscious people, but the truth is that intoxication can make one unable to consent. It is never okay to have sex with someone who is asleep or unconscious.