What is sexual violence?
The CDC defines sexual violence as any sexual activity when consent is not obtained or freely given by everyone involved. This includes not only rape and childhood sexual abuse, but also sexual harassment, grooming behaviors, and non-consensual sexting or the sharing intimate images online. Most sexual violence is perpetrated not by strangers but by someone the survivor knows such as a friend, current or former intimate partner, neighbor, family member, coworker, or other acquaintances. While sexual violence can happen to anyone, perpetrators often target people they perceive as more vulnerable or less likely to speak out and be believed. This means that some groups experience higher rates than others, including children, disabled people, racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, unhoused people, and others. The impact on survivors of sexual violence can include not only physical injuries and emotional trauma, but also a lifelong increased risk of chronic health conditions as well as economic impacts resulting from disruptions to their work or education. The CDC estimates that over the course of their life, rape costs an average of $122,461 per survivor in medical care, lost productivity from work, and criminal justice costs.Is sexual violence preventable?
Yes, it is! Many people think this a natural or inevitable part of human behavior but that is far from the truth. Research indicates that sexual violence is a learned behavior and that it is possible to create healthy, safe communities free from violence and abuse.
What does sexual violence have to do with public health?
When many people think of preventing sexual violence, they think of criminal justice responses such as restraining orders, stricter laws, and tougher sentencing for offenders. Such strategies can be important, but they are only utilized once violence has already occurred. It is important to also work on prevention strategies that aim to reduce the risk of abuse and violence ever happening in the first place, which is referred to as “primary prevention.”
The public health approach to violence prevention draws on research from a variety of fields including medicine, psychology, criminology, education, and economics. All this knowledge comes together to identify evidence-based prevention strategies that address the root causes of violence by either reducing risk factors or promoting protective factors.
How can we prevent sexual violence?
Using this public health approach to violence prevention, first we identify risk and protective factors and then work on promoting protective factors and reducing risk factors.
Many risk factors have been identified that might put someone at an increased risk of either experiencing or perpetrating sexual violence. However, it is important to remember that none of these factors excuse violence, nor do they directly cause it. Some of the proven risk factors include:
- Acceptance of violence as a method of resolving conflict
- Gender inequality, hyper-masculinity, and adherence to strict gender roles
- Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as experiencing child abuse, witnessing violence in the home or community, and instability due to parental separation
- Sexual risk-taking behaviors such as lack of condom use
- Association with sexually aggressive peer groups
- Lack of economic opportunities
- Laws and policies that do not adequately protect people from sexual violence, harassment, and bullying
There is less research about the protective factors that decrease the risk of sexual violence, particularly research focusing on diverse populations and communities. The CDC recommends the following strategies be adapted to meet the needs of specific communities in their efforts to increase protective factors:
- Promote social norms that reject violence
- Encourage social-emotional learning and foster greater empathy for others
- Provide economic opportunities and strengthen supports for women and families
- Change physical environments and the policies that govern them to lower risk
- Provide trauma-informed support to victims and survivors of violence