Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence Victimization Among U.S. Adults, 2001-2003

• NCJ Number: 220022
• Journal: Violence and Victims Volume: 22 Issue: 4 Dated: 2007 Pages: 437-448
• Author(s): Kathleen C. Basile Ph.D.; Jieru Chen M.S.; Michele C. Black Ph.D., M.P.H.; Linda E. Saltzman Ph.D.
• Date Published: 2007
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study provides the most recent national noncrime survey of sexual violence (SV) victimization of women and men.

Abstract

Results of the study show that 1 in 59 U.S. adults (2.7 million women and 978,000 men) experienced unwanted sexual activity in the 12 months preceding the survey and that 1 in 15 U.S. adults (11.7 million women and 2.1 million men) have been forced to have sex during their lifetime. SV is a public health problem among youth and young adults, especially young women. The study’s finding suggests that policymakers and program planners at the State and Federal level need this information to understand the problem and to direct resources toward those populations in greatest need of primary prevention. Such resources should be focused on children and adolescents. Data were collected from the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS), and the ICARIS-2 telephone survey of English- or Spanish-speaking adults (age 18 and older). Tables, references