FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Denver, Colorado, December 15, 2011 – This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2010 Summary Report. This latest data suggests that sexual violence in Colorado communities may be more prevalent than previously estimated. The findings show that nearly 1 in 4 women living in Colorado report being raped in their lifetime. When other sexual crimes are added (e.g., unwanted sexual contact and other types of coercion), that number rises to 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men in Colorado who have experienced sexually violent crimes in their lifetime.
Overall, the CDC report reveals that sexual violence is one of the most pervasive and serious public health issues in the United States. Consistent patterns in the data show that women, young people, and people of color are the most heavily affected populations in the United States, with over 50% of assaults of women perpetrated by current or former partners. Most violent victimization, including sexual assault, is first experienced in childhood and adolescence. Among female victims, 30% reported being first raped when they were between 11 and 17 years old; 12% were 10 or younger. Among males, 28% of male victims were first raped when they were 10 or younger. “The alarming rate of sexual violence, including child sexual abuse,” said Erin Jemison, Executive Director of CCASA, “demonstrates the need for fully-funded, comprehensive prevention and intervention services for youth and adults, including those in Colorado’s communities who may experience increased discrimination and barriers to receiving assistance.”
The survey is ongoing, and will track trends in sexual violence, stalking and intimate partner violence. The NISVS 2010 Summary Report is available on the CDC Injury Center’s website at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs.
The CDC has also released a summary, fact sheet, and toolkit. The toolkit provides information on the survey methodology, best ways to interpret and use the data, and answers to frequently-asked questions. A brief fact sheet comparing NISVS to previous national surveys is available at National Research on Sexual Violence A Look to the Future.
The Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA) advocates for comprehensive sexual assault state laws and policies and provides educational programs, training, and technical assistance to sexual assault victim service providers in Colorado.
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