Debunking Myths Surrounding Sexual Assault
As I reflect on the past eight months that I worked for the CARE Office as a marketing intern, there are many things that I have learned. The first thing is about the UCI community as a whole. I have never been one to get involved on campus, so this experience taught me how much people at UCI want to help you succeed.
The students and staff members that I worked with were always available to help me to achieve my goals. The second is just how vital prevention education and advocacy can be. I always had a great interest in putting an end to sexual assault and abuse, and this internship taught me so much about taking those steps. I think that one of the most important things to work towards a world without power-based violence is to debunk myths.
The myths surrounding sexual assault can be harmful even when the intended message was to inform. I chose these because these are the most common ones that I have been exposed to and have learned more about that would be useful to share.
Below are 5 myths and 5 facts to debunk these common misconceptions surrounding sexual assault:
Fact: Men experience sexual assault. 1 in 33 men (3%) have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime, and 1 out of 10 individuals impacted by rape are men. This becomes five times more likely for college students between the ages of 18–24. Perpetrators can be any gender identity, sexual orientation, or age, and they can have any relationship with the survivor. Often, the act is completed with force or coercion, or when the survivor is more vulnerable under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Although it happens, few men come forward to report their assault. For some, they may feel shame, believing that men could not be assaulted or overpowered, or because their bodies responded in ways that they could not control.
Myth: Men are not victims of sexual assault, only perpetrators.
Fact: Sexual assault is more often committed by someone you know and/or trust. In reported sexual assault cases, 93% of individuals knew their perpetrator: 59% were acquaintances, 34% were family members, and 7% were strangers. This can cause a lot of confusion when someone you trusted has violated you and your boundaries. This can also make it a lot harder to make a report because if it is someone they care about, they may feel sorry for the perpetrator and convince themselves that it was a misunderstanding or that they have remembered it wrong. They may not want to come forward because they don’t want to hurt the other person and/or because they feel people around them won’t believe them. These are all normal feelings after this kind of interpersonal violence. Support can be found at the sources below.
Source 1 and Source 2
Myth: Sexual assault is perpetrated by dangerous strangers when you are out at the “wrong time.”
3. Fact: Among undergraduate students, 23.1% of females and 5.4% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation. These numbers are likely even higher, as many people who have these experiences do not come forward with their experiences. With the myth that goes along with this, survivors may feel shame, confusion, self-blame, etc. that they did not take enough precautions and that they could have prevented what happened. They may also choose not to come forward because they are in shock and they have not yet processed what happened to them. It is important to know that all feelings are valid; it does not matter how much time it takes before acknowledging what’s happened, and a survivor’s experience is always valid.
Myth: It won’t happen to me because I go to school in a safe area and I don’t know anyone that it has happened to. It must not happen that often.
4. Fact: Out of every 1,000 sexual assaults, approximately 230 cases are reported to the police, 46 lead to arrest, nine go to court, and 5 serve jail time (.005% of rapists). Many people would doubt the experience of survivors if they did not get a criminal conviction in a court of law. The definition of the code of ordinances concerning sexual abuse is not synonymous with the interpersonal experiences of harm that cause trauma. Many individuals do not formally file a report, and even less have successful trials. Believe and support survivors whether or not they go to the police and whether or not their abuser is convicted of the crime.
Myth: You should just go to the police. The criminal justice system will make sure that rapists get the punishment they deserve.
5. Fact: 57% of perpetrators are White, 27% are Black, 15% are other. Please always research before making race-related assumptions as these can spread like wildfire and are detrimental to communities of color.
Myth: Rapists are usually Black criminals.
Resources for Survivors:
- UCI CARE: seeking support from an advocate is not the same as reporting. You will receive free and confidential support, even if you are not sure how to understand something that has happened and does not feel “right.”
- Through RAINN, you can seek support through an online chat or by calling (800)656–4673
Resources for Men:
- 1in6 has teamed up with RAINN for a national helpline chat for men that have been sexually assaulted or abused
- Malesurvivor.org has resources to find more information and a therapist search specifically for men
- UCI CARE has a campus-wide effort for male-identifying members called menCARE to engage them in violence prevention
