Sexual Assault

There are two basic types of rapists: rapists unknown to the victim and rapists known to the victim. Both types of rapists commit rape because they want to and they can. It is not true that rapists rape to have sex. Many times rapists have a consenting partner with whom they can have sex.

Rapists unknown to the victim

The rapist unknown to the victim typically is a stranger. He frequently has a knife or other weapon. He threatens the victim during the attack and may injure her severely. He tells her he will hurt her in the future.

Rapists unknown to the victim direct enormous hatred toward women. They want to degrade, humiliate, and use power over their victims. About 30 percent of rapists fit into this category. For victims, dying is a major fear during the attack.

Rapists known to the victim

This rapist is someone the victim knows: a friend, a date, an acquaintance, a relative, a husband or partner. He rarely threatens the victim with physical violence beyond the sexual assault itself, and does not usually injure the victim.

Over 70 percent of rapists know their victims. Their goal is to have power and control over the victim. For many victims, in their efforts to cope after the rape, the major issue is the violation of trust the rape represents.

     

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May 2007 © Mid-Valley Women's Crisis Service