Myths “VS” Reality- Myth #3

MYTH:

Only young, attractive women are sexually assaulted.

REALITY:

Nobody is immune to sexual assault. Women and men, children and seniors, the disabled –
people who have been sexually assaulted or sexually abused are found in every Alberta City and hamlet,
in every cultural and demographic segment of our society.
The vast majority of sexual assault victims are women: nearly four in 10 Canadian women have
experienced sexual assault since the age of 16. Indigenous women and women with disabilities are at
even higher risk.
The most extensive study of child sexual abuse in Canada found that 53% of women and 31% of men
encountered some form of sexual abuse as children.2 In fact, it’s very likely that each of us knows
someone who has experienced sexual assault or abuse during their lifetime.

 

Badgley, R. (1984). Report of the Committee on Sexual Offenses Against Children in Canada.