Sexual Assault Awareness
Myths vs. Facts of Rape and sexual assault
CAPSEA advocates cover the most common misconceptions of rape and sexual assault.
MYTH
Men are not victims of sexual violence.
FACT
1 1/2% of all men have been raped. Due to taboos and societal pressures most men do not report sexual assault.
MYTH
Dressing provocatively, talking provocatively, and drinking a lot invites rape.
FACT
None of those things are consent. No means no. No article of. clothing or the way you talk turns someone into a rapist.
MYTH
Sexual assault happens in dark alleys, behind bushes, or in windowless vans.
FACT
The majority of the time this crime takes place between two people who already know each other (friend, acquaintance, coworker, and partner) in a setting that is familiar to one or both of them.
MYTH
If someone didn’t fight back during the sexual assault , maybe they wanted it.
FACT
No they didn’t. We often think about fight-flight-or-freeze response to a traumatic experience. Our bodies go into survival mode!
MYTH
Being sexually assaulted by someone of the same gender can make a person gay or lesbian.
FACT
The assault is typically not based on the sexual preferences of the victim or rapist, and therefore does not necessarily change the victim’s sexual orientation.
MYTH
There is nothing we can do that can prevent sexual violence from happening.
FACT
1.) Make sure that sexual consent is part of any sexual encounter.
2.) Support survivors.
3.) Finally, be an upstander and not a bystander. Say something and call it out.
MYTH
Only young, pretty women are assaulted.
FACT
Most perpetrators choose people that they perceive to be the most vulnerable, regardless of their physical appearance and age.
MYTH
The best way for survivors to recover from sexual assault is to act like nothing ever happened and put it aside.
FACT
No one should be forced to speak publicly or privately about sexual assault; however, talking about it may be an essential part of the healing process.
MYTH
If you wait too long, you can not report the sexual assault.
FACT
In the state of Pennsylvania victims that are 18 years old have 12 years to report an assault. Victims younger than 18 have until they turn 50 years old, regardless of when the abuse occurred.
MYTH
Victims should clean up after an assault.
FACT
Try not to bathe, eat, or clean up before seeking care. The perpetrator may have left a mark that can be used as evidence. Keep all your clothes and store them in paper bags. This will help preserve evidence.