Web Sites by Topic 

Sexual Violence

Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted. Sexual violence includes a wide range of victimizations.  This form of violence includes completed or attempted attacks, generally involving unwanted sexual contact between the victim and offender (DHHS, 2003). 

86,830 children in the U. S. experienced sexual abuse in 2001 but only about 40% of rapes and sexual assaults were reported to law enforcement in 2003 (DHHS, 2003). 

In a national survey of high school students, approximately 9% of students reported having been forced to have sexual intercourse against their will in their lifetime. Female students (11.9%) were more likely than male students (6.1%) to report having been sexually assaulted.  Overall, 12.3% of African American students, 10.4% of Hispanic students, and 7.3% of White students reported forced sexual intercourse (CDC, 2004).

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization.  It operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE and conducts programs to prevent sexual assault, help victims, and ensure that offenders are brought to justice.  Resources include understanding the impact of rape, how to find a rape crisis center in the U.S. and abroad, and suggested books by survivors (http://www.rainn.org/whatshould.html).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC), Division of Violence Prevention-National Center for Injury Prevention and Control focuses on the prevention of sexual violence through a fact sheet (http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/svfacts.htm).

Sexual Abuse of Males by Jim Hopper, Ph.D., describes the prevalence and effects of male sexual abuse and offers resources to assist sexually abused boys (http://www.jimhopper.com/male-ab/).

Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse (MINCAVA), University of Minnesota, School of Social Work provides research, education, and access to over 3,000 violence-related resources through its electronic clearinghouse.  Training material and streaming videos review dating violence, youth violence, and child abuse (www.mincava.umn.edu).

Committee for Children, International Programs offers culturally appropriate programs for children and educators worldwide about appropriate touch, violence prevention, and bullying prevention.  Multilingual resources are available (www.cfchildren.org/support).

Stop It Now! stops the perpetration of child sexual abuse. It sponsors the first confidential helpline (1-888-PREVENT) offering support and access to resources about preventing child abuse and inappropriate sexual behavior between adults and youth.  Literature focuses on preventing child sexual abuse as well as examining policy issues and implications (http://www.stopitnow.com/asit_howwework.html).

National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) is a comprehensive collection and distribution center for information, statistics, and resources related to sexual violence for educators, health care providers, policy-makers, media, and rape crisis centers.  Resources include information on Sexual Assault Awareness Month, types of sexual violence, prevention strategies, and a database of print and electronic materials.  Resources address topics such as stalking, sexual violence by professionals, multicultural issues, child sexual violence, and faith-based prevention responses, among others (http://www.nsvrc.org/saam).

Cyber Tip Line, in collaboration with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, describes types of child sexual exploitation such as child pornography and child prostitution.  It also handles leads from individuals reporting the sexual exploitation of children.  Its bilingual teen site helps teens to surf safer on the Internet (http://www.cybertipline.com).

Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) helps individuals to heal and focuses on changing the church that allowed the abuse.  It offers self-help, education, and prevention assistance.  It provides a speakers’ bureau, online support, suicide prevention, recommended books, and a special site for female victims (http://www.snapnetwork.org/).