Sexual Assault Rape Conviction Statistics In The Us

[Hooper]

I was messaging a friend I met here about the trouble I've had 2 years post therapy of dealing with my wife's date rape 25 years ago. I have a thread on it "just found out the details of my wife's rape" that was very helpful and got me in therapy where I still am today. My biggest problem is he got away with it and not only that may not think he did anything wrong. Therapy was highly recommended to me because I wanted some form of justice whether legal or not. I've been advised by everyone to let it go. Rapist are very successful at never spending a day in jail. I got curious and googled what the conviction rate was for rapist in the US. For 1000 rapes the stats are as follows310 reported, 57 reports lead to arrest, 11cases referred to pros,7 lead to felony conviction and 6 lead to incarcerationecutor
1. 310 reported
2. 57 reports lead to arrest
3. 11 cases referred to prosecution
4. 7 lead to felony conviction
5. 6 lead to incarceration
6. Of those convicted they average serving 5 years (this stat not from RAINN).

A .6% conviction rate resulting in jail time is beyond pathetic. There was a recent thread on should I prosecute. At the time my thoughts were yes. Now I don't know. I do not want to start a thread that would discourage prosecuting. I would like to discuss how are these numbers even possible when everyone has a mother, many have sisters, female cousins, etc... My main problem is I feel powerless to do anything. Everyone from my wife, everyone here, the legal system and friends say let it go. I don't know what I expected from therapy but I have gotten nowhere in terms of letting it go and things happen you just can't change. Some progress in therapy but fundamentally I'm in the same place.
hooper

 

[Llith]

I have been sexually assaulted by 3 separate people, out of those 3 one I never considered the law getting involved, one I considered but didn't have enough evidence, and the third they could not prove he drugged me so he never even got to court despite the fact I was found by the police hours after it happened.

So yes. Those stats seem very realistic to me.

Maybe that sounds bitter, but at the moment I think the idea of any kind of justice in alot of these situations is a fantasy. There are a few good cases but most of the time it does not work out in my experience.

 

[Hooper]

I think the idea of any kind of justice in alot of these situations is a fantasy.

It may be a fantasy but for me it helps to cope. I wonder if fathers, brothers, cousins, boyfriends, spouses, etc. did pursue this fantasy at a high rate (60% vs .6%) if rapes would decrease. I also wonder what their conviction rate would be if they were caught pursuing this fantasy. I'd never convict. I would think any juror would understand .6% is a mockery of justice and prosecution would be tough. Rape is the least prosecuted crime as well as highly unreported for that reason. Should it be a crime to seek informal justice when the conviction rate of our formal justice system is 6 incarcerated out of 1000 rapes? Maybe so but again I would never convict.

 

[Sindy]

I was messaging a friend I met here about the trouble I've had 2 years post therapy of dealing with my w...

I am really sad to hear you are like me. My daughter was drugged and raped by a relative of mine who I have never done anything but help - I too will not and cannot let it go. I never knew it was possible to feel so outraged. I was not able to tolerate CBT but exercise and enough sleep and no or very little alcohol, seem to help. I also find beta blockers helped me a bit to make my body less tense and helped reduce my blood pressure. The more relaxed my body is the better my mind feels. Be very nice to yourself and others too - that helps to get back to the old you for more of the time. Another small tip is if you cant fall asleep listen to a talking book. I hope this is of some help. best wishes Sindy

 

[Sindy]

I was messaging a friend I met here about the trouble I've had 2 years post therapy of dealing with my w...

Another thing is that anti-rape groups exist and Heforshe is one of many organizations you should think of joining. Only when enough decent men join the anti-male violence groups will we remove establishment acceptance of male violence which is a huge problem in society.

 

[Nyssa]

I wonder if fathers, brothers, cousins, boyfriends, spouses, etc. did pursue this fantasy at a high rate (60% vs .6%) if rapes would decrease.

Let's not forget mothers, sisters, girlfriends, and female friends in the list of people who might want to seek revenge for a close relation.

That being said, outrage is not the most common reaction victims encounter. Denial is. And it comes in many forms : disbelief, indifference, minimization, blame.

There is a rampant denial of the horror of sexual assaults. Ultimately, that's how the conviction rate can be so low. That's how I understand it anyway.

 

[Hooper]

Nyssa,
Your post is right on the money. Sorry to leave out everyone. Your right about outrage and I know my wife blamed herself and denied what happened because it was a date rape. Part of the denial was staying in the relationship for a few more months. Thanks for your input.

 

[Nyssa]

Just to clarify, I was talking about the denial so many victims have to face when they start talking -- or the indifference they may have sensed around them before that. Denial from their relatives, friends, loved ones. But you are right, there is also the denial from the victims themselves. One feeds the other... in which order? I am not sure.

 

[Hooper]

I am really sad to hear you are like me. My daughter was drugged and raped by a relative of mine who I have never done anything but help - I too will not and cannot let it go. I never knew it was possible to feel so outraged.

I can't imagine being in your shoes. I was so outraged I slept maybe 3 hours a night for 2 weeks. Went to 5 hours with ambien. I knew back in 2000 it had happened but she didn't seem to want to talk about it and it was said in a you need to know disclosure form so I never asked exactly what happened. When I did 2 years ago I just came unhinged. I've had 2 minor bouts of relapses (1 for 4 days and one for 2-3 days where I couldn't sleep). If something happened to one of my children I probably would be in jail. Did anything happen legally to your relative?

 

[scout86]

Those statistics are even worse than I expected. And I knew they weren't good. :(

We have wolves around here. Because they are protected, there is a government program to compensate people who lose livestock to them. But, the standard of proof is so high, you pretty much need a time stamped video of the wolf killing your calf, or a signed confession from the wolf. As a result, the '3 S's' get used instead. ('Shoot, shovel, and shut up')

It's tempting.... I wish we could find ways to make the system work better. I wish we could create a culture where mutual respect makes crimes like rape rare.

I wonder if there are places, with reliable statistics, where rape is less common and convictions more common? (And a5 year sentence didn't sound like much to me!)

 

[Fadeaway]

Maybe it is because of who I surround myself with, but frankly, I have never been friends with anther woman that wasn't sexually abused somehow. I firmly believe the actually statistics are more than 50% percent of all women in my country not the 1-4 nationally or the 1-3 in my state. The majority of women I know and a decent amount of men too all had more than one abuser. That says that either the majority of men (and a few women) are abuser Or you have a handful of abuser that repeat over and over and over. I tend to believe it is the later.

 

[Hooper]

I wonder if there are places, with reliable statistics, where rape is less common and convictions more common? (And a5 year sentence didn't sound like much to me!)

I know Holland has a low rape rate but I don't know about the conviction side but I would imagine they could manhandle beating .6%. It is cultural but they see sex as normal. They know their teenaged children are raging with hormones. They know whether they prohibit their children having sex has no bearing on the actions or their children. Knowing this they do something very novel. They communicate with their children that sex is normal and at some point there will be someone they will want to have sex with. When this time comes be safe. Use a condom that we will provide. Your boyfriend/girlfriend in an established relationship can spend the night and shut their bedroom door. They don't want them out in parked cars, the woods or wherever it would not be safe. Their approach is just pragmatic. I have 2 sons and no daughters and live in the USA. I'd like to think I was this practical if I had daughters. We have a seriously skewed view of sex and the naked body in the USA. I know I would raise my daughters differently but I was not dealt that hand. My sons are 5 and 10. They will know what my expectations are of how their significant others should be treated. I was lucky I had an older brother who taught me. He told me before I was 10 you never kiss and tell. It makes you look good or like a liar and it ruins a girls reputation. We never got into rape discussions because that was not even on our radar. I don't know if what is customary in teens is today and I don't think it is the same. Regardless there will be discussions of what is acceptable with my sons. I'll check into their incarceration rates in Holland. As for 5 years they usually get 8-10 but serve 4.8 years or something like that. 2nd time convictions are in the 15 year range. I don't know the stats on what happens to people who assault(not kill) their loved ones rapist. I'd bet over .6% but less than 5 years. I'll stick to my fantasy and see if Karma comes through. Who knows. He could be miserable and have an awful life. As you say "the best revenge is a life well lived". I hate to do it but I'm going to do 2 things. First I'm going to out you for being the friend I was messaging that got this thread started. Second I think I've got a thing for you. Don't worry. It's pure. I'm sticking with what I've got. I really appreciate what you have done for me.
Sincerely,
Hooper