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Violence Against Women Prevention Program

Sexual Assault

Violence Against Women Prevention Program



Sexual Assault

What is sexual violence?

Sexual violence happens in every community and affects people of all genders and ages. Sexual violence is any type of unwanted sexual contact. This includes words and actions of a sexual nature against a person's will and without their consent. A person may use force, threats, manipulation, or coercion to commit sexual violence.

Forms of sexual violence include:

  • rape or sexual assault
  • child sexual assault and incest
  • sexual assault by a person's spouse or partner
  • unwanted sexual contact/touching
  • sexual harassment
  • sexual exploitation and trafficking
  • exposing one's genitals or naked body to other(s) without consent
  • masturbating in public
  • watching someone engage in private acts without their knowledge or permission
  • nonconsensual image sharing.

Source: National Sexual Violence Resource Center

What is rape?

Coerced or forced sexual intercourse. Forced sexual intercourse means vaginal, anal, or oral penetration by the offender(s). This category could include incidents where the penetration was from a foreign object, such as a bottle. Includes attempted rapes, male and female victims, and both heterosexual and same-sex rape. Attempted rape includes verbal threats of rape.

Source: Department of Justice - Bureau of Justice Statistics

What is sexual assault?

The term "sexual assault" means any nonconsensual sexual act proscribed by federal, tribal, or state law, including when the victim lacks capacity to consent.

Source: Department of Justice - Office on Violence Against Women 

What is consent?

Consent is an understandable exchange of affirmative words or actions, which indicate a willingness to participate in mutually agreed upon sexual activity. Consent must be informed, freely and actively given. It is the responsibility of the initiator to obtain clear and affirmative responses at each stage of sexual involvement. Consent to one form of sexual activity does not imply consent to other forms of sexual activity. The lack of a negative response is not consent. An individual who is incapacitated by alcohol and/or other drugs whether voluntarilly or involuntarily consumed may not give consent. Past consent of sexual activity does not imply ongoing future consent.

Source: University of Guam Sexual Misconduct Policy

Statistics on Sexual Assault

Guam statistics on sexual violence

Guam has the second highset number of rapes per capita in the United States. There are 64.2 reported rapes per 100,000 people in Guam, compared to the national rate of 25.2 per 100,000 people.

Source: FBI, Uniform Crime Report

National statistics on sexual violence

Sexual violence affects millions of Americans.

  • On average, there are 321,500 victims (ages 12 and older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States.

Women and girls experience sexual violence at higher rates than men and boys. 

  • 90% of victims of rape are female. 10% are male.
  • About 18% of American women -- or 1 in 6 -- have been the victim of an attempted or complete rape in their lifetime.
  • About 3% of American men -- or 1 in 33 -- has been the victim of an attempted or complete rape in their lifetime.

Source: Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Victims of Sexual Violence: Statistics.

College campus statistics on sexual violence

Sexual violence is pervasive among college students.

  • 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college.

Source: National Sexual Violence Resrouce Center. Statistics About Sexual Violence.)

Rates of sexual violence are highest among undergraduate students. 

  • Among undergraduate students, 23.1% of females and 5.4% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.
  • Among graduate and professional students, 8.8% of females and 2.2% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation. 

Source: Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Victims of Sexual Violence: Statistics.