Women who are victims of rape often tell no one

Often, when a woman is a victim of rape, she will tell no one about her experience. A combination of shock, embarrassment and fear of judgment cause many women to remain silent. Even fewer women will report the assault to police. In the United States only 5% of women who are raped, by someone known to them, will report the attack to police. Women are most often raped by husbands, former husbands, boyfriends, family members or acquaintances. Even when women courageously do report to the police, most of the time, the man faces no consequences. Only 1% of rapists receive a criminal record for their crime (Harvard Medical School, 1992)

If you have experienced rape, I encourage you to find a safe person to talk to. Women’s Centres or Rape Crisis Lines are often helpful. Or you might choose to talk to a counselor or a good friend. What you have experienced is beyond words and so it will be hard to talk about but you deserve as much good support as you can get. If the first person you tell is unhelpful, that is due to their ignorance. As hard as it is to trust people right now, try to find someone you can trust with this experience.

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