Breaking the Silence: Understanding Sexual Assault

Written By: Giana Matheny & Lily Sparks, Peer Educators
Edited By: Faith Dolan
April 28, 2026

TW: This blog contains information surrounding sexual assault

Introduction

Sexual assault is a widespread public health issue that affects millions of individuals each year, particularly adolescents and college-aged students. In the United States, 1 in 5 women and about 1 in 14 men experience some form of sexual assault in their lifetime. (RAINN, n.d.). Despite its prevalence, sexual assault is often misunderstood and underreported, largely due to stigma, lack of education, and confusion surrounding consent. These issues are especially relevant to college students, who are navigating relationships and independence. Understanding the realities and statistics of sexual assault, along with improving education about consent, is essential to reducing its prevalence. This increases reporting and supports survivors.

Statistics and Definitions 

The first step to reducing the prevalence of sexual assault is understanding what it is. In this section, we will discuss the definitions and statistics of sexual assault.  

First, what is sexual assault? Sexual assault is any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the consent of the recipient. This includes forced sexual intercourse, sodomy, molestation, incest, fondling, attempted rape, and sexual acts against people who cannot consent (Kemper, 2023).

While sexual exploitation is similar to sexual assault, there are some differences. Sexual exploitation involves taking non-consensual or abusive sexual advantage of another for the benefit of oneself or a third party. It includes sexual voyeurism, forcing someone to engage in prostitution, knowingly transmitting a STI, STD, or HIV, or persuading someone to expose their genitals.

Lastly, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome, sex-based, verbal/physical conduct that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive and interferes with a student’s ability to participate or benefit from educational programs or activities. 

Many people do not fully understand what qualifies as sexual assault, so it is important to understand these definitions to support prevention and recognition.

Understanding Consent 

Consent education is critical to the prevention of sexual assault. Research shows that many individuals misunderstand what constitutes rape, when consent is invalid, and whose responsibility it is to obtain it. These gaps in knowledge directly contribute to misinterpretation and underreporting. In this section, we will address common questions about consent. 

First, about 1/3 of male college students don’t know what constitutes rape. Second, over 50% of rapes go unreported (Department of Justice, 2020). And thirdly, over 35% of sexual violence victims don’t report because they don’t know if a crime occurred or if harm was intended (Krebs et al., 2017). These statistics highlight the importance of filling the gaps in knowledge about consent. 

So, what is consent? Consent is defined as mutually understandable words or actions, actively communicated knowingly and voluntarily, that clearly convey permission for a specific activity (Texas Tech Title IX, n.d.). Consent is a lot more than just saying yes; it can be given verbally or non-verbally in many ways. For example, giving consent could include verbally saying yes, pulling someone closer, or actively reciprocating. 

Consent is invalid when threats or physical force are used, intimidation or coercion are used, an individual is incapacitated, or any other factor eliminates free will. Silence cannot be assumed to express consent, and verbally saying no is not the only way someone might communicate a lack of consent. This could be communicated in many ways, such as resistance, freezing, or verbal expression. We must also remember that it is the initiators' responsibility to obtain consent verbally or non-verbally. 

Consent can be revoked at any time if it’s clearly communicated, verbally or non-verbally. If sexual activity occurs after consent is revoked, a sexual assault has occurred. Additionally, consent has an expiration date. Consent given on one day does not mean consent on another day, just as being in a relationship does not imply future consent to sexual activities. 

To summarize, consent must be freely given, clearly defined, and actively communicated. When consent is misunderstood or ignored, the result may be not only sexual assault but also patterns of coercion and control that often appear in dating violence.

Mental Health Impacts 

Sexual assault can have a very powerful and lasting impact on an individual, which is why it is important to discuss the many ways these traumatic events can affect someone’s life, including their mental health. Due to the heaviness of sexual trauma, it's very common for individuals to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the assault. PTSD is a condition that is formed by experiencing a very stressful and scary situation. 17%-65% of survivors with a history of sexual assault develop PTSD (Dworkin et al., 2017).. Some symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, anxiety, and flashbacks. Another common mental health issue that affects survivors is depression and anxiety. Around 14-51% meet the diagnostic criteria for depression, and 12-40% report symptoms of anxiety.

Without the proper support and care, these conditions can lead to suicidal ideation and attempts of suicide. 23%-44% of individuals reported struggling with thoughts surrounding death or suicide (Dworkin et al., 2017). To put this in perspective, Survivors are 3 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts. These are very heartbreaking statistics to take in. However, all these experiences matter and deserve to be acknowledged. Being aware of these statistics is a vital step in being a better advocate for survivors of sexual assault. For example, this could look like creating space for those suffering from anxiety, alcohol use disorders, depression, etc. This may also involve being aware of the resources on campus and in your community in order to provide proper support and education to your peers and loved ones. Being a mental health advocate is a great start to helping lower these numbers. 

Long-term Relationships

Sexual Assault can and does still occur in relationships between partners. Intimate partner violence is relatively common in the US. The World Health Organization defines intimate partner violence as actions within an intimate relationship that cause sexual, physical, or psychological harm (WHO, 2022). In addition, intimate partner violence affects more than 12 million individuals every year (National Domestic Violence Hotline, n.d.). 

This emphasizes the importance of remembering that consent is always needed, regardless of relationship status. To expand, 1 in 10 women have been sexually assaulted by an intimate partner, and more than half of female survivors of sexual assault reported the perpetrator being an intimate partner (National Domestic Violence Hotline, n.d.). While it is statistically more common for women to experience this form of sexual assault, men have also been negatively impacted by intimate partner violence. About 4% of men have been injured because of intimate partner violence. These percentages include reported instances of sexual, physical violence, and stalking by a partner.

Intimate partner violence is an unfortunate common reality that affects a wide range of individuals with different experiences and situations. Due to the trust and bond shared with the partner, it can be easy to ignore or doubt intimate partner violence. However, your ability to say “no” to sexual activity does not go away in relationships. Boundaries and consent are always crucial, regardless of whether you have a sexual partner for a day or for years. 

Conclusion 

Sexual assault is a public health issue that affects millions of individuals each year in a variety of ways. However, many people do not understand its prevalence, the mental health impacts on survivors, or the definition of consent. Everyone’s story looks different, whether the survivor was in a long-term relationship or not in a relationship at all. While some individuals may develop substance use disorders, others may develop anxiety symptoms. No matter the case, sexual assault experiences and stories are all valid. 

Educating ourselves and others on sexual assault, consent, and boundaries can lower the commonality and misconceptions surrounding survivors. This Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we bring to light the very real facts and statistics of sexual assault. We also urge you to continue your knowledge beyond this blog. Breaking the stigma starts with knowledge and remembering these are not just numbers but individual stories, lives, and struggles. You are not alone. 

 References

Dworkin, E. R., Menon, S. V., Bystrynski, J., & Allen, N. E. (2017). Sexual assault victimization and psychopathology: A review and meta-analysis. Clinical psychology review, 56, 65–81. 

National Domestic Violence Hotline. (n.d.). Domestic Violence Statistics. NDVH. 

RAINN. (n.d.). Scope of the problem: Statistics.RAINN.

U.S. Department of Justice. (2020). Criminal victimization report. Bureau of Justice Statistics

Kemper, N. (2023). The 2022 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Congress.gov. 

Krebs, C. P., Lindquist, C. H., Warner, T. D., Fisher, B. S., & Martin, S. L. (2017). Campus climate survey validation study final technical report. U.S. Department of Justice.

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Violence info – intimate partner violence.  WHO.

Resources  

Texas Tech Crisis Helpline
806.742.5555

Texas Tech Title IX  
806.742.7233 | titleix@ttu.edu | Doak Hall 129

Student Counseling Center
806.742.3674 | studentcounselingcenter@ttu.edu | Student Wellness Center 201

Student Mental Health Community
806.834.6717 |heather.frazier@ttu.edu | Weeks Hall 2nd floor

Student Health Services
806.742.2848 | studenthealthservices@ttuhsc.edu | Student Wellness Center 

Lubbock Voice of Hope
806.763.3232 

RAINN
800.656.4673 | RAINN.org/hotline

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