Editorial Assignment

Written by: Janis Martens on Aug 1, 2006 9:53 PM EDT

NEWS, Politicians and Public Out of Touch with Rape Victims

According to The Birmingham News editorial "Parents Must Have Role in Abortion Decision" I read on Saturday, July 29, 82% of Americans responding to a national poll last year believed a person should not be able to take an underage girl across state lines for an abortion without parental consent. I wondered what the poll respondents know about rape and sexual assault in America. Let me share some information about this devastating crime.

Every two and one-half minutes someone is raped, attempted to be raped or sexually assaulted in America. One in six women has been a victim of a completed or an attempted rape. 44% of rape victims are under 18 years of age. According to the 2002 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS - Dept. of Justice), 86,290 women were raped. Medical reports during that time indicated that the incidence of pregnancy for one-time sexual intercourse was 5%. Thus, pregnancy could have occurred in 4,315 women.

The Dept. of Justice does not include victims under 12 years of age in their survey data but estimated that 1 of every 6 victims is under 12. In 2004, the NCVS reported 209,880 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault of which 34,980 could have been under 12. That means every 15 minutes a child under 12 was either raped, attempted to be raped or sexually assaulted in America.

Classifying the relationship of attackers to victims is of great importance when considering these crimes. 47% of attackers are friends or acquaintances, 20% are relatives, 31% are strangers and 2% are not specifically classified.

That the Birmingham News would speak so tritely of the subject of abortion only as a means of "birth control" is deplorable. It is clear that in 67% of rape and sexual assault cases the attackers are known to the victim and pregnancies can result in underage children. These children need the protection of family members and acquaintances they consider "safe", such as, clergy, and their government. Not only has the State and Federal government failed them but so have the public and the Birmingham News with opinions that seem to negate the humanity of these young victims.

Janis Martens
Birmingham, Alabama

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