Sexual Assault History

When one first thinks of a pressing American public health issue, they perhaps may think of the spread of an infectious disease, or perhaps the issue of water contamination in regards to lead, or maybe even the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. However, the mention of a critical public health issue in America rarely incites a discussion on the rise of sexual assault. Sexual assault is a broad term, often used interchangeably with the term rape- however, while rape is an aspect of sexual assault, the two terms are not synonymous. Sexual assault is defined as “any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient” (U.S. Department of Justice). Sexual assault includes rape, incest, child sexual

abuse, stranger sexual assault, intimate partner sexual assault, same gender sexual assault, drug facilitated sexual assault, gang rape, “peeping”, child pornography, female genital mutilation, unwanted groping, and more. In contrast, rape is defined as "The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim” (U.S. Department of Justice). Sexual assault is a public health issue of paramount importance within the United States, but is not often recognized as such, as exemplified by the fact that current trends project that 1 in 3 American women will be sexually assaulted at some point during her life” (New York Times). Although it is not only women who are subjected to sexual assault, statistics show that women are disproportionately affected by this issue. If the plight of sexual assault, including rape, continues to receive as little recognition or continues to be as casually addressed as it is today, the United States will head down a dangerous trajectory in which violence in the form of sex crimes becomes a societal norm.
Sexual assault has had a long and arduous history in the United States.

While sexual assault itself has spanned a course of centuries, the discussion of sexual assault reached its peak in the United States in the late 1960s and 1970s as a product of the rise of the movement of feminism, leading to the rise of the first rape crisis centers. Soon after, a book titled Against Our Will by Susan Brownmiller was released, examining the contexts in which sexual assault exists. The publication of this book began a societal movement in the discussion of rape, and became a monumental part of the history of sexual assault in the United States. As a response to this rise of discussion on sexual assault, as attributed to the feminist movement, laws began to develop in order to properly address sexual assault. Prior to the 1970s, sexual assault laws were primitive and did not take the following into consideration: rape within a marriage; rapes in relation to non vaginal intercourse; sexual assault in which the victim did not consent but did not physically resist; sexual assault against men. However, laws taking all of these aspects into consideration began to develop in order to accommodate society’s concerns in relation to sexual assault. In addition, rape shield laws, laws that prevent a victim’s prior sexual history from entering court, were also developed in order to prevent trials from focusing on the victim. Today, the handling of sexual assault within our justice system has made

positive advancements and seeks to cover all forms of sexual assault and prevent victim shaming.
Sexual assault is, rightfully, an increasingly discussed topic in the United States. Women are often the victims of sexual assault- however, men can be the victims of sexual assault as well. A common misconception is the likeliness of stranger sexual assault, as 82% of victims of sexual assault are victimized by an acquaintance of some sort. (Basile et. al. 2005) Most victims are between the ages of 16-24, and the vast majority of sexual assault is inflicted upon individuals under the age of 18. Sexual assaults are also extremely underreported- in fact, rape is the most underreported crime in the United States. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, “63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police.” In addition to this, approximately only 2-3% of rapists are prosecuted and found guilty for their actions. The apparent lack of sexual assault police reports may be attributed to a culture of victim shaming within the United States. In order to best encourage victims of sexual assault to speak up, the culture of victim shaming within the United States must end. As a nation, we must do better in emphasizing in sex education classes, as well as in society, that sexual assault is never the victim’s fault, regardless of how much the victim had to drink, what the victim was wearing, or whether or not the victim physically resisted.
The effects of sexual assault are widespread, and do not only affect the victim- rather, they affect the victim, the victim’s loved ones, the victim’s community, and society as a whole.

The victim may experience psychological complications, including PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. Physically, the victim may contract an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection), may have concerns about a pregnancy, or may have incurred injuries as a result of the sexual assault. (National Sexual Violence Resource Center) Emotionally, the victim may blame themselves, insinuating that they are to blame for the sexual assault in some way, and may feel isolated as a result of their sexual

assault.