The word rape evokes images of being accosted by a strange man carrying a weapon, attacked by an intruder in your home, or kidnapped and forced at knife-point to perform degrading sexual acts against your will. The reality, however, is that in many cases the rapist is someone the victim knowsmost likely a family member or a date. One researcher found that in more than 40 percent of rape cases, the victim identified her husband or friend as her attacker. Another study found that 84 percent knew the attacker. Many rapes occur at the place where the victim and the attacker meetoften one or the other's homeinstead of a secluded parking lot or dark alley.
The odds are that one of every four women you know has been the victim of a sexual assault at some time in her life. If you've been raped yourself, you know that the pain doesn't end with the attack. You face the possibility of medical complications and of continuing emotional trauma. You also face decisions about whether to tell your family and friends, and whether you want to report the attack to the police.