Does Your State Have the Highest Rate of Sexual Assault?

It is commonly said that information is power, and the same can be said about safety data. While it can be heartbreaking to learn about sexual assault statistics, our goal is to give you information that protects you and your loved ones.

Join us as we expose the number of sexual assaults in the state where you live, along with who is most at risk – direct from the most recent statistics. We have answers to the questions that will keep you protected and spread awareness to end sexual assault.

More often than ever, we make friends online, find a date, or buy a couch without leaving our home or putting down our smartphone. However, we are also now more likely to interact with strangers through games, dating apps and social platforms, drive apps, and online chat sites.

This can lead to in-person situations that put us at risk. Some people are catfished by strangers who pretend to be someone they are not. While rape statistics give us a clue to the dangers of many experiences, rape is not always reported, and people are fearful of coming forward. Less than 40% of women who are assaulted get help, and only 10% report the crime to the police.

Most Dangerous Countries for Rape and Sexual Assault

South Africa has the highest number of rapes in the word (132.4 per 100k people), and one in 4 men admit to committing rape, per the survey conducted by the South African Medical Research Council. Next is Botswana (92.9), Lesotho (82.7), Swaziland (77.5).

If those statistics are terrifying, know that Liechtenstein had 0 reported rates out of 38k people. Egypt was second for the lowest amount of sexual assault .01, and Azerbaijan and Mozambique were next – tied with 0.2.

Most Dangerous States for Rape and Sexual Assault

The top state for rapes is also one of the coldest: Alaska. If the weather doesn’t bring a chill to your bones, FBI’s 161.6 rapes per 100k inhabitants might.

Since rape is considered to be about power, not sex, don’t let the myth that Alaska has far more men than women is to blame. That statistic is overrated, and Alaska has about 100 women per every 107 men.

The next worst state for rape is Michigan, followed by Nevada. Both states are almost tied, with only a .1 difference in the number of assaults seen in Michigan (76.9 per 100k) versus Nevada (76.8 per 100k). Arkansas follows behind with (72.9) and Colorado (71.5).

If the high number of sexual assaults per 100,000 inhabitants in your state has you feeling concerned, then you might want to take a trip to New Jersey. While the ideal would be zero assaults and no crime of any kind in all 50 states, New Jersey residents can be relieved that Statista reports their state has the lowest number of sexual assaults (16 assaults per 100k residents).

In second place is Mississippi (18 per 100k). Close behind is Connecticut (23.5), Georgia (25.2), and North Carolina (25.4).

According to Table 1 from the FBI’s (Uniform Crime Reporting) UCR guide from January to June 2018-2019, the total number of rapes per cities with 1 million people and over was down 5.3%. Cities with a population of 500k to 999,999 had a decline of 13.6%.

All populations had a decrease, with the most dramatic being that 500k to under 1 million population and 25k to 49,999, with a decline of 10.3%. Did any population groups have an increase?

Yes.

Cities with under 10k people experience an increase in reported rapes (1.0%); however, that might be related to more awareness and comfort for victims who report crimes.

Next, the UCR compares the United States by a broader region. All regions, thankfully, had a decrease in reported rapes. The most significant decline was in the West, where the drop decreased by 9.9%, followed by a decrease in the Midwest (9.3%), then the South (6.6%). The Northeast only experienced a decline of 0.3%.2018 to 2019, marks the most significant drop in reported rapes, in recent history.

Who is Most at Risk and How to Protect Yourself?

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network – the largest anti-sexual violence organization) every 73 seconds, someone in America is sexually assaulted. That number should boggle the mind. That means that over one year, there are almost half a million victims of rape and assault in the U.S. (433,648 yearly). While the majority of rape and sexual assault victims are under age 30, RAINN reports that 54% are age 18-34, 15% are age 12-17, 28% age 35-64, and 3% are age 65+.

For every six women you know in America, 1 of them has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape (2.8% attempted and 14.8% completed). 90% of adult victims are female, and 82% of child victims are female. This does not mean that boys and men are not also at risk. They are. Male college students are particularly vulnerable, and students aged 18-24 experience five times as many rapes as other men the same age who do not attend college.

In terms of the larger picture, female children ages 12 and up, through adult women up to age 34, are most at risk of being sexually assaulted. When women head off to college, they are significantly more likely to be assaulted, and people with disabilities or who are transgender clock in with at least double the risk of assault.

While rape does happen from strangers, 8 out of 10 times the victim is attacked and assaulted by someone they know. Sadly, this is true for children as well. RAINN reports: Of sexual abuse cases reported to law enforcement, 93% of juvenile victims knew the perpetrator. 59% were acquaintances, 34% were family members, 7% were strangers to the victim.

Rape and assault are examples of sexual violence. Victims are never at fault when they are attacked or assaulted. If you have been harmed sexually or otherwise, contact the police before you shower, so they can get evidence to arrest the victim. You may also consider reaching out to a rape hotline at Rainn.org or call for 24/7 help 800-656-HOPE(4673).

Essential safety tips include only meeting strangers (for instance, when online dating) in public places and background checking anyone you are planning to meet. Unfortunately, this will not protect you 100% but can help you to rule out catfish and imposters and make sure you keep drinks safe and covered (not unattended) when out drinking, dating, or dancing.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has identified risk factors for perpetrators of sexual assault. If you spot these characteristics in anyone you interact with, beware(!) and use additional caution and safety resources and measures. Contact the police if you are concerned about your safety or the safety of others.

While we have a way to go, you can let your family and friends know that it is essential to remember that sexual abuse and assault victims are not alone. Being assaulted is never your fault.

If you do decide to connect with someone on or offline, who you don’t know in person, make sure to search their name, phone number, reverse image search, email address, and more at Social Catfish. Find out who someone is, using our high powered reverse search algorithm.