General Sexual Assault Statistics
51% of all Canadian women have experienced at least one incident of sexual or physical violence. Close to 60% of these women have survived more than one incident of violence. (Statistics Canada, 1993)
6 out of 10 victims who reported being sexually assaulted were under 17. (Statistics Canada, 2005)
In 2000, women made up the vast majority of victims of sexual assault (86%) and other types of sexual offences (78%). (Statistics Canada, 2001)
80% of sexual assaults occur at home (Sexual Assault Care Centre, Women's Care Centre, Sunnybrook & Womens, 1999, Myths and Facts About Sexual Assault,
http://www.womenshealth matters.ca/facts/quick_show_d.cfm?number=65)
54% of girls under the age of 16 have experienced some form of unwanted sexual attention. 24% of these have experienced sexual assault, and 17% have experienced incest. (J. Holmes and E. Silverman, 1992, We're Here, Listen to Us: A Survey of Young Women in Canada)
In cases reported to police, 80% of sexual assault survivors knew their abusers. About 10% were assaulted by a friend and 41% were assaulted by an acquaintance. 28% were assaulted by a family member, while the remaining 20% were assaulted by a stranger. (Statistics Canada, 2003)
However
Victimization surveys show that less than 10% of women who are sexually assaulted report the assault to the police. (Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women, 2002, Assessing Violence Against Women: A Statistical Profile, p.19)
This number is even lower (estimated to be 6%) for victims of childhood sexual abuse.
It is estimated that over 80% of women who are sexually assaulted do not report due to humiliation or fear of re-victimization in the legal process. (Ontario Women's Directorate, 2002, Sexual Assault: Reporting Issues,
http://www.gov.on.ca/citizenship/owd/english/ publications/sexual-assault/reporting.htm)
There is no statute of limitations on child abuse in Canada, Great Britian, or Australia.
If you make the decision that you are ready to report you should know that charges are only laid in roughly 40% of cases.
