 One in five women in the U.S. has been raped at some point in their lives, a survey found, and most victims experienced sexual violence before age 25. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an unfortunate amendment to that estimate: According to new statistics, 19.3 percent of women -- nearly 1 in 5 -- have been raped. The CDC estimates looked not only at "completed forced penetration," but also at other forms of sexual violence including attempted rape, unwanted sexual contact, non-contact unwanted sexual experiences (such as being flashed or forced to view explicit images) and sexual coercion. Additionally, the report also considers "completed alcohol- or drug-facilitated penetration" in its definition of rape, because -- contrary to a confused prevailing attitude -- having sex with someone who cannot and/or does not consent is, indeed, rape.
– The CDC is out with numbers from a comprehensive new survey on rape and sexual assault, and the main takeaway is grim: More than 19% of women in the US, nearly one in five, have been raped at some point in their lives, reports Bloomberg. When the definition is broadened to include other forms of sexual violence, the percentage of female victims rises to 44%. The victims include those unable to give consent because they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, notes Salon. The CDC estimates more than 11 million women were raped in that manner in 2011. The report also says 2% of men have been raped, and 23% have been victims of sexual violence of some kind. In fact, New York highlights this paragraph from the CDC report itself: "Consistent with previous studies, the overall pattern of results suggest that women, in particular, are heavily impacted over their lifetime. However, the results also indicate that many men experience sexual violence, stalking, and, in particular, physical violence by an intimate partner. " For both genders, the abuse is most likely to have happened before age 25. (One man raped at age 14 has now been ordered to pay child support for the daughter he fathered.)