Why Don't Survivors Report Sexual Assault?

Common Barriers to Reporting

• Emotional pain — many people try to avoid remembering, talking, or thinking about it because it is emotionally painful.
• Shame — sexual trauma is associated with a high degree of societal stigma, and survivors may fear being ostracized or “slut-shamed.”
• Fear of not being believed or being blamed — survivors often face scrutiny about what they did to “cause” the violence, such as what they were wearing or if they were drinking, instead of focusing on their lack of consent.
• Fear that nothing will be done — data indicates that fewer than 2% of reported incidents of sexual assault lead to a successful prosecution, and the reporting process itself can be re-traumatizing.
• Fear of punishment — teens may avoid disclosing because they fear parental punishment for rule-breaking, retaliation from perpetrators, or social ostracism.
• Feeling responsible — when the perpetrator is an acquaintance, survivors may wrongly believe they did something to contribute to the violence.
• Cultural or religious reasons, and limits to confidentiality — including fears about mandated reporting and police involvement, especially for marginalized survivors.
• Unawareness — people can be unaware that what they experienced was abuse or violence and might think it was normal.

The Myth That Survivors Are Lying

The number one myth people believe is that survivors who report are lying. Contrary to popular belief, false reports of rape occur at the same rate as other crimes — in the 2–10% range. False accusations are no more common than they are for other crimes, and the belief that they are harms survivors.

Whether or not someone decides to report doesn’t affect the validity of what happened to them. It’s important to support and not shame survivors, regardless of what they decide to do after experiencing violence. Survivors decide how, when, and where to seek help.