PHOM Indicator Profile Report of Sexual Violence

Why Is This Important?

Sexual violence in Utah is a serious public health problem affecting thousands of residents each year. Studies in Utah suggest that 19.9% of females and 6.5% of males experience rape or attempted rape during their lifetime^1^ and nearly one in three women will experience some form of sexual violence during their lives.^2, 3^ Rape is the only violent crime in Utah that is higher than the national average. In a state where other violent crimes, such as homicide, robbery, or aggravated assault, are historically half to three times lower than the national average, this is of concern.^2^ The costs resulting from sexual violence in 2011 totaled nearly $5 billion, almost $1,700 per Utah resident. The Utah state government spent more than $92 million on people known to have perpetrated sexual violence. Only $569,000 was spent on efforts to prevent sexual violence.^4^ More needs to be done to prevent sexual violence in our communities. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services has identified priority risk and protective factors for preventing sexual violence in Utah: [[br]] *Societal norms that support violence/sexual violence[[br]] *Adherence to traditional gender norms[[br]] *Gender equity[[br]] *Association with pro-social peers[[br]] *Skill-solving problems in a non-violent manner[[br]] *Community support and connectedness [[br]][[br]] ---- 1) Utah Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. (2022). Sexual Violence [Data file]. Retrieved from: Utah Department of Health. [[br]] 2) Mitchell, C., Peterson, B. (2007). Rape in Utah. Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. Accessed 4/9/2024: [https://justice.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/RapeinUtah2007.pdf]. [[br]] 3) Smith, S.G., Chen, J., Basile, K.C., Gilbert, L.K., Merrick, M.T., Patel, N., Walling, M., & Jain, A. (2017). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010-2012 State Report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from: [https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/2015data-brief508.pdf]. [[br]] 4) Utah Violence and Injury Prevention Program. Costs of Sexual Violence in Utah 2015. Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Department of Health, 2015 Retrieved from: [https://vipp.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/Costs_of_Sexual-Violence_in_Utah.pdf]. [[br]]

The Utah rape rate is higher in Utah than the U.S..

Data Source

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Data Notes

The '''revised''' definition is used for adult forcible rape: penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.

Risk Factors

Research has identified the following risk factors for sexual violence perpetration: alcohol and drug use, impulsive and antisocial tendencies, hostility towards women, history of sexual abuse as a child, witnessing family violence as a child, associating with sexually aggressive and delinquent peers, strongly patriarchal relationship or family environment, lack of employment opportunities, general tolerance of sexual assault within the community, weak community sanctions against perpetrators of sexual violence, societal norms that support sexual violence, male superiority and sexual entitlement, and weak laws and policies related to gender equity.[[br]] [[br]] ---- Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Sexual Violence Fact Sheet (accessed 1/4/2017) [http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/sexualviolence/riskprotectivefactors.html]

How Are We Doing?

In 2022, an estimated 27% of rape or sexual assaults were reported to the police in Utah.^4^ This clearly indicates that sexual violence rates are underreported. It is important to keep this in mind when referring to federal and state crime reports and statistics.^1^ Among Utah high schools, 14.8% of students report experiencing sexual violence in the past 12 months during 2021. Additionally, 7.7% of students experienced forced sexual intercourse.^3^ National research estimates that eight out of ten rape victims report they were first raped before they turned 25, and four out of ten rape victims report they were first raped before their 18th birthday.^5^ In 2022, Utah Department of Public Safety reported that Beaver, Carbon, Duchesne, Grand, Iron, Juab, Sanpete, Summit, Uintah, Washington, weber, Salt Lake, and Tooele counties had significantly higher reported rape rates than the state rate of 59.5 per 100,000 population.^2^ Rape affects the quality of life and may have lasting consequences for victims. In the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, 12.7% of respondents indicated that they experienced a form of sexual abuse as a child (age-adjusted rate). This was significantly higher for females (17.1%) compared to males (8.4%).^6^ In 2022, those who report to have experienced a rape or attempted rape in their lifetime are also significantly more likely to have poor physical or mental health that limited usual activities (37.3% vs. 18.4%), binge drink (22.8% vs. 12.0%), smoke every day (8.3% vs. 6.3%), and felt social isolated (20.7% vs. 7.9%) compared to those who have not experienced lifetime rape.^6^ In 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation showed that the majority of rape victims (93.9%) previously knew their perpetrator, 33.5% reported they were an acquaintance, 3.3% reported they knew the person for less than 24 hours, and 6.3% reported their perpetrator was a complete stranger.^4^ [[br]] [[br]] ---- 1) Breiding, M. J., Smith, S. G., Basile, K. C., Walters, M. L., Chen, J., & Merrick, M. T. (2014, September 5). Prevalence and characteristics of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence victimization - National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 63(SS08), 1-18. Retrieved from [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6308a1.htm].[[br]] 2) Utah Department of Public Safety. Bureau of Criminal Identification CIU 2016-2018 Reports. Salt Lake City, UT. Accessed: 12/18/2023: [https://bci.utah.gov/crime-in-utah-dashboards/]. *data source; all analysis done by violence and injury prevention program[[br]] 3) Utah Youth Risk Behavior Survey [Data file]. Retrieved from: Utah Department of Health and Human Services.[[br]] 4) Federal Bureau of Investigation (2023). Crime Data Explorer. Accessed 04/04/2024: [https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/crime-trend].[[br]] 5) National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Accessed 4/8/2024: [https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics/statistics-depth][[br]] 6) Utah Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Sexual Violence [Data file]. Retrieved from: Utah Department of Health and Human Services.

What Is Being Done?

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP) and the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault (UCASA) collaborated in 1999 to enlist individuals, organizations, and agencies to participate in a statewide multi-disciplinary council addressing sexual violence. In 2003, the Utah Sexual Violence Council (USVC) was formed. The USVC still exists today and functions as a multi-disciplinary, statewide advisory council that promotes a climate where sexual violence is addressed as a priority issue that impacts all Utah communities. Its vision is to change social norms and improve Utah's understanding of the overwhelming significance of this public health, social service, and criminal justice problem. Since 2000, the VIPP has received Rape Prevention and Education Grant funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The intent of the program is to work on the outer-levels of the social ecology (community, societal) and use approaches informed by identified risk and protective factors to reduce perpetration of sexual violence. In 2016, 2017, and 2022 the Utah State Legislature appropriated funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program, housed by the Utah Department of Workforce Services. These funds aim to expand the ongoing primary prevention efforts, by increasing the number of projects in underserved regions of the state, as well as increasing programming for underserved communities, including rural communities, tribal communities, LGBTQ populations, and underserved and high risk groups. In 2019, the Legislature appropriated one-time one-year state general funds for the prevention of sexual and intimate partners violence. These funds are supporting the implementation of prevention efforts in seven communities, as well as the organization of a state collaborative effort to scale prevention work across the state. Prevention efforts in Utah focus on reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors for sexual violence.^1^ These factors are associated with sexual violence, but may not be a direct cause of victimization or perpetration. Priority risk and protective factors in Utah include: societal norms that support violence and sexual violence; harmful norms around masculinity and femininity; lack of skill in solving problems non-violently; societal and community support and connectedness; and emotional health and connectedness. [[br]] [[br]] ---- 1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexual Violence: Risk and Protective Factors. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention, 2017. Accessed 10/20/2017: [https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/riskprotectivefactors.html].