This April marks 25 years of Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Every April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month calls on communities to confront the reality of sexual violence, support survivors, and commit to prevention. This April marks the 25th anniversary of the first nationally coordinated Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign. Unfortunately, sexual violence is widespread in the United States, and it affects both adults and children. Here are some statistics that you should be aware of. We encourage you to read and share with your network so that we can all be better educated about sexual violence and be ready to support survivors.

The numbers

• Nearly 1 in 2 women experience physical sexual violence in their lifetime
• More than 1 in 6 men experience physical sexual violence in their lifetime
• More than 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape
• 1 in 31 men have experienced completed or attempted rape
• Almost 1 in 3 women experience sexual harassment at work or in public places
• More than 1 in 4 women experience technology-facilitated sexual violence in their lifetime

These figures come from the CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, the most comprehensive national data source on sexual violence in the U.S. The true toll is likely higher; sexual violence is one of the most underreported crimes in the country.

Any form of sexual activity without consent is sexual violence, whether it happens in person, online, or through technology.

What our victim assistance specialists are hearing

Those national statistics align with what our victim assistance specialists — the team members who staff our confidential, 24/7 VictimConnect Resource Center — see every day. From 2023 to 2025, VictimConnect received thousands of inquiries from survivors of sexual violence:
• 2,701 contacts about sexual assault
• 1,700 contacts about sexual harassment
• 520 contacts about nonconsensual pornography

Each of those stats represents a real people reaching out for help — some for the first time.

Sexual assault often starts early – and victims often already know their abusers

More than 4 in 5 female rape survivors and 8 in 10 male survivors report being first raped before age 25. Nearly half of women survivors were first assaulted as minors, as were 4 in 10 male survivors.

The person who caused that harm was usually someone they already knew. Research consistently shows that most survivors of sexual violence — regardless of gender — are harmed by someone known and trusted by them or their family. This is one reason why survivors often struggle to come forward.

Sexual violence has no single form

Sexual violence is an umbrella term. Understanding what it includes is part of how communities can respond.

Sexual asasult

Any completed or attempted sexual act or contact against a victim’s will, including rape, attempted rape, and fondling. Injury does not have to occur for it to be assault.
Source: CDC

Sexual harassment

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Almost 1 in 3 women and 1 in 9 men experience it at work; 1 in 14 men experience it in public.
Source: CDC NISVS

Technology-facilitated sexual violence

Sexual violence that occurs digitally — including online sexual harassment, sextortion, and nonconsensual sharing of intimate images. More than 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men experience this in their lifetime.
Source: CDC NISVS

Nonconsensual pornography

The sharing or distribution of intimate images without consent. This is a form of sexual violence and is illegal in most U.S. states. VictimConnect received 520 contacts about this from 2023 to 2025.
Source: NCVC VictimConnect data

The lasting impact on survivors 

Sexual violence doesn’t end when the assault does. Survivors may carry its effects for years — sometimes for a lifetime. Research links sexual violence to a range of lasting consequences, including:
• Physical injuries
• Post-traumatic stress
• Depression and anxiety
• Sexual health problems
• More frequent substance abuse

These are not inevitable outcomes. With the right support, survivors can and do heal. But they are a reminder of why access to trauma-informed resources matters — and why prevention cannot wait.

Help is available 24/7

NCVC’s VictimConnect Resource Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Survivors of any type of crime can call, text, or chat confidentially with a trauma-informed specialist. Call or text 855-484-2846 (855-4VICTIM) or chat at victimconnect.org. All services are free and confidential.

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National statistics sourced from the CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), 2016/2017 Report on Sexual Violence (Basile et al., 2022) and the 2016/2017 Report on Victimization by Sexual Identity (Chen et al., 2023). VictimConnect contact data reflects NCVC internal records, 2023–2025. SAAM 2026 theme and anniversary details from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (nsvrc.org).