MAP Forum

Te US National Crime Victimization Survey (Bureau of Justice Statistics [BJS], 2023) reports that 1.9 out of every 1,000 Americans over the age of twelve were victims of rape or sexual assault in 2022. Despite the decline in sexual crimes over the past three decades-consistent with a decline in crimes in general—the public continues to be deeply concerned… Te National Crime Victimization Survey (BJS, 2023) reveals that only 21.4 percent of rape or sexual assault victims reported their victimization in 2022, compared to 40.6 percent of assault victims and 64 percent of robbery victims. Tese statistics highlight that underreporting is a significant issue in sexual offenses. Te extent of underreporting for other types of sexual offenses, such as sexual harassment, familial sexual offenses, or sexual abuse in relationships, may be even higher than statistics suggest. Tjaden and Toenne s (2006) described sexual offenses as "gendered crimes," noting that 85 percent of victims are female. Based on statistical analysis, it is estimated that women in the United States have at least a 20 percent chance of being raped during their lifetime (Wood et al., 2000).