Sexual assault in the state of Georgia

Fact Sheet

Sexual Assault in the State of Georgia
Sexual Assault is a sexual act upon or directed to another which is unwanted or not consented to by that person. National data indicates that nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been raped at some time in their lives.1 Governor Nathan Deal signed a Proclamation for Sexual Assault Awareness Month on April 4, 2012 as part of a statewide effort to raise awareness for sexual assault. Governor's Office for Children and Families (GOCF) is proud to recognize April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and is committed to working alongside advocates and service providers across Georgia to serve individuals, families and children affected by this issue.

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Quick Facts about Sexual Assault - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Only 39% of all rapes and sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement. 42% of rape victims are under the age of 18, and 80% are under the age of 25.5 Over 22% of men in Georgia have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lifetime.5 Despite the prevalence of sexual assaults on college campuses, less than 5% of completed or attempted rapes are ever reported.3 Among high school students surveyed nationwide, about 8% reported having been forced to have sex. The percentage of those having been forced to ever have sex was higher among female (11%) than male (5%) students.2 Sexual abuse is the least reported type of elder abuse and victims are usually women over the age of 70 who are functioning at a low level or totally dependent.4 -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Georgia Statistics Comparison of 2010 Georgia and National Uniform Crime Reports (UCR):

Total Number of Rapes Reported

2010 National UCR Data 84,767

2010 Georgia UCR Data 2,051

Rate of Rape

27.5

21.2

(per 100,000)

Total Number of Arrests for Rape 15,586

365

Total Number of Males Arrested

15,419

364

Total Number of Females Arrested 167

1

Family Violence Division

April 2012

How to Get Help
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Georgia Sexual Assault Statistics
During the first 2 quarters of Fiscal Year 2012 (July-December 2011), the following statistics were provided by the 24 State-funded Sexual Assault Centers:
801 new victims served (89% female and 11% male) 2,859 crisis calls and 4,003 repeated calls and advocacy phone contacts 3,522 calls for information related to sexual assault 70% of reported perpetrators were known to their victims 75% of reported incidents occurred between July and December of 2011 61% of incidents were classified as rape with another 19% classified as child molestation 212 forensic medical exams and 131 follow-up exams were completed 1,655 individual/family therapy sessions conducted, 1,279 legal advocacy contacts made and 623 support groups provided 373 victims were assisted in accessing Crime Victim's Compensation 1,198 community awareness/prevention events held with 72,756 participants
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, here are some important tips:
Get to a safe place and contact someone you trust (friend, relative, neighbor, etc.) Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Do not shower or clean up, and go to a hospital or health center for an examination and treatment of possible injuries or sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Contact the local sexual assault center in your area in order to access services and support. You can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) to be connected with a local center, or you can find one at www.gnesa.org/. Contact your local sexual assault center through Georgia's Family Violence Hotline at 1-800-33-HAVEN (4-2836). To get more information on teen dating violence, or to seek services, contact the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474.
References: 1. Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Full Report of the Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against Women: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. In: National Institute of Justice, ed. Washington, D.C.; 2000. 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance United States, 2009. Surveillance Summaries, June 4, 2010. MMWR 2010;59(No. SS-5). 3. Karjane HM, Fisher BS, Cullen FT. Sexual Assault on Campus: What Colleges and Universities Are Doing About It. In: National Institute of Justice, ed. Washington, D.C.; 2005. 4. Payne BK. Understanding Elder Sexual Abuse and the Criminal Justice System's Response: Comparisons to Elder Physical Abuse. Justice Quarterly, 2010;27(2):206-24. 5. Black, M.C., Basile, K.C., Breiding, M.J., Smith, S.G., Walters, M.L., Merrick, M.T., Chen, J., & Stevens, M.R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.