Rape & Sexual Assault Statistics

Forcible rape, as defined in the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, is the carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will. Assaults and attempts to commit rape by force or threat of force are also included; however, statutory rape (without force) and other sex offenses are excluded.

• There were an estimated 93,934 forcible rapes reported to law enforcement in 2005, a 1.2-percent decrease when compared to the 2004 estimate.



• When compared to 2001 data, the number of forcible rapes increased an estimated 3.4 percent, but when compared to 1996 data, the number of forcible rape offenses declined 2.4 percent during the 10-year period.



• The rate of forcible rapes in 2005 was estimated at 62.5 offenses per 100,000 female inhabitants, a 2.0 percent decrease when compared to the 2004 estimate of 63.8 forcible rapes per 100,000 female inhabitants.



• Based on rape offenses actually reported to the UCR Program in 2005, rapes by force comprised 91.8 percent of reported rape offenses, and assaults to rape attempts accounted for 8.2 percent of reported rape offenses. This equated to 48.4 rapes by force per 100,000 female inhabitants and 4.3 assaults to rape attempts per 100,000 females in 2005.



• 41.3% of forceable rapes that were reported were cleared by arrest or exceptional means.

Age of Offenders (Table 39: Rape/Sexual Assault)

15-17 years old: 11%
18-20 years old: 15%
21-29 years old: 26%
30 and over: 45%
Other/unknown: 3%

Relationship of Offender to Victim (Tables 27 and 33)

Well Known: 33%
Casual Acquaintance:31%
Don't Know: 4%
Stranger: 32%
Overall: 65% of offenders were non-strangers

Location of Offense (Table 61)

At victim's home: 36%
Near home: 1%
Friend, Relative, Neighbor's Home: 24%
Other commercial building: 1%
On school property: 8%
Common yard, park, field, playground: 3%
On street other than near home: 9%
Other: 18%

Rape/Sexual Assault reported to police (Tables 91 and 96)

Overall only 38% reported
Age 12-19 reported 33% of the time
Age 20-34 reported 30% of the time
Age 35-49 reported 62% of the time
Age 50-64 reported 37% of the time

Activity of victims at time of incident

Working or on duty: 11%
Going to or from work: 1%
Going to or from school: 3%
Going to or from other place: 4%
At school: 5%
Leisure activity away from home: 29%
Sleeping: 20%
Other activity at home: 25%
Other: 2%