Questions  

1. What is the Rape Prevention Program?

2. Are most rapes committed by strangers?

3. Does rape ever happen in high schools or middle schools?

4. Is rape caused by an uncontrollable sexual desire?

5. Are alcohol and drugs a major factor in rape?

6. Is wearing a short skirt or dressing sexy "saying" to people you want to have sex?

7. Can men/boys be raped?

8. Where can I go to get help or help a friend?

What is the Rape Prevention and Education Program (RPEP)?

The Arizona Department of Health Services receives funds from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to provide programs aimed at preventing sexual violence and rape in Arizona. Currently, there are eleven non-profit agencies in six counties receiving funds to support a variety of educational programs throughout the state.

The target populations include students in junior high through college, women in the community, professionals (medical, legal, law enforcement), and minority populations, such as mono/bilingual Latino youth and Native American youth.

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Are most rapes committed by strangers?

Most perpetrators know their victims. According to the 2000 National Crime Survey, you are more likely to be raped by someone you know. *About 82 percent of sexual assaults are date or acquaintance rape. (DOJ 2001).

*In 8 out of 10 rape cases, the victim knew the perpetrator (Tjaden and Thoennes 2000). 

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Does rape ever happen in high schools or middle schools?

According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), a national survey of high school students, approximately 9% of students reported having been forced to have sexual intercourse against their will in their lifetime. Female students (11.9%) were more likely than male students (6.1%) to report having been sexually assaulted. *Overall, 12.3% of Black students, 10.4% of Hispanic students, and 7.3% of White students reported forced sexual intercourse (CDC 2004). 

The 2005 Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey was administered to 3,307 Arizona students in grades 9 through 12, in 87 district and charter high schools.
10.5% of these students replied "yes" to the question "During the past 12 months, did your boyfriend or girlfriend ever hit, slap, or physically hurt you on purpose?" In 2003, 8.5% of students surveyed responded yes to the same question.
10.9% of these students replied "yes" to the question, "Have you ever been physically
forced to have sexual intercourse when you did not want to?" Female students (14.2%) were more likely than male students (7.7%) to report having been sexually assaulted.
In 2003, 8.0% of students surveyed responded yes to the same question.

For a complete report please go to:

http://www.ade.az.gov/schooleffectiveness/health/matrix/YRBS2005Results.asp 


Sexual violence has been called a “tragedy of youth” (Kilpatrick, Edmunds, and Seymour 1992). Sexual violence starts very early in life. More than half of all rapes (54%) of women occur before age 18; 22% of these rapes occur before age 12 (Tjaden and Thoennes 2000).

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Is rape caused by an uncontrollable sexual desire?

No, rape is about power and control over someone else.

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Are alcohol and drugs a major factor in rape?

In a large longitudinal study, recreational drug use was found to increase the likelihood of rape (Kilpatrick et al. 1997). Survivors who reported being at least “somewhat drunk” at the time of the assault were less likely to have resisted the assault (Harrington 1994). In most cases, the attacker or the victim, or both have been drinking.

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Is wearing a short skirt or dressing sexy "saying" to people you want to have sex?

No, rapists choose victims because they think they can get away with the crime. People may dress sexy, and they might want to have sex, but they do not want to be raped. The victim is NEVER at fault, only the rapist is responsible.

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Can men/boys be raped?

Yes, about 1 in 6 men will be sexually abused or assaulted (attempted or completed sexual assault) during their lifetime by other men or women. (Matthews, 1996 and Hopper 2002)
Numbers are uncertain because of the stigma attached to rape and sexual abuse is even greater for men.

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Where can I go to get help or help a friend?

If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual violence and needs help, contact the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE or contact your local emergency services at 9-1-1.
While “rape” is a commonly used and understood term, it specifically refers to penetration offenses. The term “sexual violence” is used here to reflect the wide range of sexually coercive and violent behaviors. 

You may hear the term “survivor” applied to those who have experienced sexual violence. The term is often used by health care workers and advocates instead of “patient” or “victim.” It emphasizes the healing process that those experiencing sexual violence must go through. 

* Variations in statistics result from differences in how data sources define sexual violence and gather information about it. From the National Center of Injury Prevention and Control.

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