FACTS ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT
1. Sexual Assault is never the victim's fault.
2. Sexual assault is not only committed by strangers. In fact, in approximately 80% of sexual assault cases, the rapist knows the victim.
3. Sexual assault is not sex. It is a violent act in which sex is used as a weapon.
4. An attempted sexual assault can be just as traumatic as a completed assault. The feelings of terror, humiliation, and powerlessness are the same whether or not the rape was completed.
5. Sexual orientation is not a factor in sexual assault. Both heterosexuals and homosexuals are sexually assaulted.
6. Sexual assault is an act of aggression, not an expression of sexual attraction.
7. Reactions to sexual assault may vary. Some people cry or get angry; others may seem calm and composed. There is no "correct" way to behave after a sexual assult.
8. It is the survivor's choice whether or not to report the crime to the police. In spite of their own feelings, others must respect his or her decision on whether to report the rape. It is an important way of showing support for a loved one.
