Sexual Assault Statistics and Facts
Due to limited research on sexual assault, including parameters by race, gender, sexuali orientation, etc. the following statistics are primarily focused on cisgender women of color. Additionally, we must note that some studies use different language and measures to describe different races. For instance, some studies organized Native American women as “American Indian or Alaska Native,” grouping different communities as one. This could also be seen in the statistics of Latinx women. Under the study parameters the “Hispanic/Latina” group includes White Latinas, but most likely exclude Black Latinas. This study does not give clear parameters of race and includes White Hispanics and Latinos as one category.
There are limited studies that focus on sexual violence against trans women of color, and similarly little research about sexual assault against men of color and LGBTQ people of color. If you are a survivor of color and your identity intersects with other marginalized groups, such as LGBTQ, undocumented, low income, etc. please view those resources here in addition to those below.
While 80% of rapes are reported by white women, women of color are more likely to be assaulted than white women.
Prevalence rates of rape of women by race in the United States:
- Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.8%
- Hispanic/Latina: 11.9%
- White:17.7%
- Black: 18.8%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 34.1%
- Mixed Race: 24.4%
Sexual assault in K-12 educational settings against trans people of color:
- Asian/Pacific Islander: 17%
- Black: 15%
- Native Americans: 24%
- Multiracial: 18%
The 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Study* found the prevalence rates of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking against a person by an intimate partner in their lifetime by race in the United States: *Study had a disproportionate sample size by race, white people overwhelmingly made up the participants in the study.
Women
- Asian/Pacific Islander: 15%
- White: 24.8%
- Black: 29.1%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 37.5%
- Hispanic/Latinx: 23.4%
- Mixed Race: 30.2%
Men
- Asian/Pacific Islander: 3%
- White: 7.5%
- Black: 12%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 12.4%
- Hispanic/Latinx: 7.4%
- Mixed Race: 9%
African American Women
- For every Black woman that reports her rape, at least 15 Black women do not report.
- Approximately 60% of Black girls experience sexual abuse by age 18.
- According to a 2014 study, about 22% of Black women reported being raped and 41% experienced other forms of sexual violence.
- Black women students in various academic settings who reported experiencing rape: 16.5% in a high school sample and 36% in a college sample.
Latinas
- Approximately 7.9% of Latinas will be raped by a spouse, boyfriend or ex-boyfriend during their lifetime.
- Married Latinas are less likely than other women to immediately define their experiences of forced sex as rape and terminate their relationships; some view sex as a marital obligation.
Asian/Pacific Islander Women
- According to a compilation of studies, between 21-55% of Asian women report experiencing intimate physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime.
- API women tend to report lower rates of rape and other forms of sexual violence than do people of color from other racial backgrounds.
- According to a study, Filipina women who were born in the US or immigrated before adolescence were more likely to experience physical and sexual violence (but not stalking) compared to Filipina women born outside the US or immigrated as adults.
- In a 1995 study of Japanese immigrant and American women, 52% reported having experienced physical violence, and 29.9% experienced sexual violence at the hands of an intimate partner during their lifetime.
- In a study of Indian and Pakistani women, Indian and Pakistani women born in the US or who had immigrated before adolescence were more likely to experience physical violence, sexual assault, and stalking compared to those born outside of US or immigrated post adolescence.
Native American Women
- The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that 1 of 3 Native American women will be raped or sexually assaulted in their lifetime.
- Native American women are 2.5 to 3.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault compared to the statistics of all other races.
- The National Violence Against Women Survey found that 34.1% of Native American women report rape in their lifetime.
- One study found that more than a quarter of American Indian and Alaskan Native women reported being raped.
- About 9 in 10 Native/American Indian victims of rape or sexual assault were estimated to have had assailants who were of a different race.
- 92% of Native/American Indian girls who have had intercourse reported having been forced against their will to have sex.
- 44% of Indian Health Service emergency rooms reported not having an accessible protocol, or trained personnel in place for sexual assault.
- According to a 2010 study, US attorneys declined to prosecute 67% of sexual abuse, homicide, and other violent crimes against Native women.
Source: Women of Color Network
LGBTQ People of Color Facts:
- Young gay men of color ages 15 to 22 are disproportionately at risk for contracting HIV.
- One study found that HIV prevalence rates of gay men by race is:
- White: 3%
- Latino: 7%
- Black: 16%
This is particularly important because people who may be sexually victimized by a same sex partner could be at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS as well.
- 53% of LGBTQ people of color are victims of hate crimes, with the majority of those victims being trans women of color.
Trans People of Color Facts:
- 79% of victims of anti-LGBTQ hate crime murders are people of color, with 82% being trans women of color in 2009.
- Of the murders of gender nonconforming people, 45% of victims are people of color.
- Transgender people of color are six times more likely to experience police violence compared to their white transgender counterparts.
- 32% of Black transgender people report being sexually assaulted while in police custody or jail.
- 13% of Black transgender people experience sexual violence at the workplace.
Source: Office for Victims of Crime
