Underreported

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that the majority of rapes and sexual assaults perpetrated against women and girls in the United States between 1992 and 2000 were not reported to the police.

Only 36 percent of rapes, 34 percent of attempted rapes, and 26 percent of sexual assaults were reported. Reasons for not reporting assault vary among victims, but one study identified the following as common:

• Self-blame or guilt.

• Shame, embarrassment, or desire to keep the assault a private matter.

• Humiliation or fear of the perpetrator or other individual’s perceptions.

• Fear of not being believed or of being accused of playing a role in the crime.

• Lack of trust in the criminal justice system.