Rape and Sexual Assault of Women: The Extent and Nature of the Problem

• NCJ Number: 212170
• Author(s): Andy Myhill; Jonathan Allen
• Date Published: March 2002
• Length: 132 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Great Britain Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate
• Sale Source: Great Britain Home Office
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Survey; Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: Home Office Research Study 237; downloaded November 23, 2005.

Annotation

Based on findings from the 1998 and 2000 British Crime Surveys, which used innovative computerized self-completion questionnaires, this report examines the extent and nature of the rape and sexual assault of women.

Abstract

A nationally representative sample of 6,944 women who were 16 to 59 years old completed the 2000 self-completion module. These women's responses were used to estimate the extent of sexual victimization of women in England and Wales. In order to examine the nature of such crimes, the 1998 and 2000 modules were combined, giving a total of 1,183 female respondents. Classifications were distinguished for "rape" (penetration of the vagina or anus) and "sexual assault" (sexual contact that included the use of force). The 2000 British Crime Survey (BCS) asked respondents whether they had experienced an incident of sexual victimization since age 16 and also in the 12 months preceding the date of the interview. Of the women 16 to 59 years old, 0.9 percent said they had experienced some type of sexual victimization (including rape) during the last year, and 0.4 percent said they had been raped during this period. The analysis estimated that in the year before the 2000 BCS, 61,000 women were raped in England and Wales. Women between the ages of 16 and 24 were more likely than older women to indicate they had been sexually victimized in the last year. Single women, students, and women living in privately rented households were also more likely to report sexual victimization. Responses to the question about sexual victimization since age 16 indicated that 9.7 percent of the women had been so victimized; 4.9 percent of the women indicated they had been raped at least once since age 16. The analysis estimated that approximately 754,000 women in England and Wales have been raped at least once since age 16. Data are also provided on perpetrators, contact with the police, and victims' perceptions of their experiences. Extensive tables and figures, 43 references, and appendix A-G