What is Acquaintance Rape?: Sexual violence is any form of unwanted, unwelcome or coercive sexual contact. Sexual assault, which is most often called rape, includes vaginal, oral, or anal sex without that person’s consent or with a person who is unable to consent. Acquaintance rape occurs when someone you know forces, coerces and/or manipulates you to participate in unwanted sexual activity. Adolescent women between the ages of 15 and 25 years of age are at a higher risk for acquaintance rape than any other age group.
The perpetrator can be a friend, a boy who lives down the street, someone you met at a party, someone your friend knows, your boyfriend, your employer or someone you’ve known for a long time. Over 80% of rapes are committed by people the victim knows.
Acquaintance rape is almost entirely perpetrated by males against females. It is NEVER the victim fault no matter what she wore, where she was, whether or not she fought back, or whether or not she was drinking. The perpetrators are 100% responsible for their actions. Rape, including acquaintance rape, is violence where sex is used as a weapon.
Acquaintance rapists often believe myths such as:
women owe men sex if they spend money on them,
some women play hard to get and say "no" when they mean "yes",
kissing and rubbing means you have to have intercourse,
going to their house means you want to have sex,
if they are aroused then they must have sex,
if a woman has had sex with someone previously, that person can have sex with you anytime,
women enjoy being pursued by aggressive males.
The facts are:
you have the right to change your mind about having sex,
kissing only means you agree to kiss,
just because you are in his house, he is not entitled to sex,
no one owes anybody sex for money or gifts,
sex is not a necessity for anyone, even if aroused.
Individuals who have been assaulted and/or abused by someone they know may feel guilty or responsible for the abuse, feel betrayed, question their judgment, or have difficulty trusting people.
Reach out for help. Remember, you are not alone. What happened was not your fault. Talk to someone you trust.
Get to a safe place.
Reporting is your choice. If you decide to report the crime, call 911. Reporting as soon as possible may preserve evidence.
If you are thinking about reporting, DON’T shower, bath, douche, change clothes or go to the bathroom until you have been examined medically. Doing so may lose valuable evidence that could be used if the case is prosecuted.
Go to a hospital emergency room for assistance and treatment. Ask if your community has a rape crisis center that sends an advocate to be with you to provide support and information.
Get support. The local rape crisis center can provide referral information and confidential support services
Whether or not you report the sexual assault to law enforcement, you should still protect your health. It is best to be treated for sexually transmitted diseases within the first 72 hours after being assaulted. Consult your health care provider for information about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Recovery from an assault can be assisted by contacting an advocate who understands the needs of sexual assault victims. Many communities in WV (add link for Rape Crisis Centers here) have rape crisis centers with 24-hour counseling and advocacy services. Adolescents who are being sexually abused can also contact the 24-hour National Child Abuse Hotline for assistance and referral at 1-800-422-4453 or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.
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