# What group is most prone to raping a woman? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049 "2006-08-02T18:50:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LeftFootRightFoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@LeftFootRightFoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeftFootRightFoot)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/1 "2006-08-02T18:50:34Z")
My friend just said that he heard a woman is most likely to get raped by somebody she knows well. It’s not really a subject you think about very often, but it sort of makes sense. What’s the straight dope? ---
**Author:** ![xiix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d6d6ee/32.png) [@xiix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xiix)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/2 "2006-08-02T18:58:11Z")
men? ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/3 "2006-08-02T19:07:58Z")
> [@](#): > > men? You sexist. Humans. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/4 "2006-08-02T19:13:17Z")
[QUOTE=yBeayf] You sexist. Humans. [/QUOTE] Humanist. I have never witnessed a human doing such a thing but I have witnessed several violent dog on leg assaults. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/5 "2006-08-02T19:14:01Z")
Rapists? Heh. Now where’s that rimshot smilie… Seriously, I’m not sure I want to get into this question because it always turns into something of a can of worms. However, I think that the answer will depend heavily on what you classify as “rape”. As we’ve seen in previous threads there is a lot of controversy (and politics) in the study and publishing of rape statistics. One thing that I find disturbing is that a relatively large percentage of women reportedly raped did not self identify as rape victims. I would expect that many of these women would fall into the category of “raped by someone they knew well”. The search function seems to be down right now, but maybe someone later can find one of these threads for you. They come with lots of citations. Yay! The one that I’m thinking of had a title something like “x% of men have been raped?!” or similar. Good luck and maybe someone later can be more helpful. sinjin ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/6 "2006-08-02T19:17:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Contrary to the belief that rapists are hiding in the bushes or in the shadows of the parking garage, almost two-thirds of all rapes were committed by someone who is known to the victim. 67% of sexual assaults were perpetrated by a non-stranger – 47% of perpetrators were a friend or acquaintance of the victim, 17% were an intimate and 3% were another relative. – _National Crime Victimization Survey, 2004_ Source: [RAINN - Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network](http://www.rainn.org/statistics/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/7 "2006-08-02T19:25:42Z")
Data compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (a branch of the Department of Justice) indicates that your friend is correct; a sexual assault victim is likely to know their assailant. > [@](#): > > Victim/offender relationship > > Males were equally likely to be violently victimized by a stranger or nonstranger, and females were more likely to be victimized by a friend, an acquaintance, or an intimate. > During 2004 – > > About seven in ten female rape or sexual assault victims stated the offender was an intimate, other relative, a friend or an acquaintance. > > Sixty-two percent of males and 45% of females stated the individual(s) who robbed them was a stranger. > **[Home](https://bjs.ojp.gov)** > > The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is the United States' primary source for criminal justice statistics that cover a wide range of topics. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/8 "2006-08-03T04:03:48Z")
[QUOTE=sinjin] One thing that I find disturbing is that a relatively large percentage of women reportedly raped did not self identify as rape victims. I would expect that many of these women would fall into the category of “raped by someone they knew well”. [/QUOTE] Well, I was raped as a child by guys I knew, but did not understand I had been sexually abused and raped until I was adult and revisited the memory. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/9 "2006-08-03T11:15:58Z")
The fact that practically all rapes are committed by men is not sexist. Nor does it mean that practically all men are rapists. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/10 "2006-08-03T11:18:54Z")
[QUOTE=Johanna] Well, I was raped as a child by guys I knew, but did not understand I had been sexually abused and raped until I was adult and revisited the memory. [/QUOTE] Just out of interest, _how_ did you revisit the memory as an adult? ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/11 "2006-08-03T14:34:42Z")
Well if most rapes are done by friends and acquantances of the person raped. Then it could be conjectured that someone with no friends or acquantances is the least likely person to be a rapist. Doesn’t the use of probabilities incorrectly lead to some funny answers? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/12 "2006-08-03T14:55:32Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Just out of interest, _how_ did you revisit the memory as an adult? [/QUOTE] Also, how is it possible to mistake being raped? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/13 "2006-08-03T14:59:23Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] Also, how is it possible to mistake being raped? 😕 [/QUOTE] I can understand that a young child might not comprehend the act; what puzzles me is the comment about revisiting the memory; if this was just a case of a conscious attempt to recall, how did it not happen earlier? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/14 "2006-08-03T15:16:03Z")
If I remember correctly, in at least one case “non-stranger” included a member of the same gang. :dubious: So, what you really need to do is define “rape” and “someone you know well”. In **Duckster** ’s cite, you notice that "– 47% of perpetrators were a friend or acquaintance of the victim, 17% were an intimate ". So, it seems like “someone you know well” would be an “intimate” which is a smaller % than “stranger”. That “acquaintance” part bothers me- what exactly is an “acquaintance” for the purposes of this study? If you defined “rape” as “convicted of a felony rape charge” I think the % would be _very_ much smaller. And then if you excluded child abuse rape (the OP sepcified “a woman”), then even smaller again. In other words, it doesn’t seem like an adult female has much to fear from her close male friends as far as violent rape goes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/15 "2006-08-03T15:18:44Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I can understand that a young child might not comprehend the act; what puzzles me is the comment about revisiting the memory; if this was just a case of a conscious attempt to recall, how did it not happen earlier? [/QUOTE] “Recovered Memories”? [http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal\_mind/forensics/forensic\_psychology/9.html](http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/forensic_psychology/9.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/16 "2006-08-03T15:22:53Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] “Recovered Memories”? [http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal\_mind/forensics/forensic\_psychology/9.html](http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/forensic_psychology/9.html) [/QUOTE] That possibility was present in my mind, albeit at the worst end of my spectrum of expectations, when I read **Johanna** ’s post -this is precisely why I’d like to get her to elaborate upon the comment. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/17 "2006-08-03T15:30:21Z")
Based on the impression I get from looking in the glass tit, I’m gonna go with high school and/or college athletes. ---
**Author:** ![Mouse\_Maven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Mouse\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mouse_Maven)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/18 "2006-08-03T16:14:30Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] Also, how is it possible to mistake being raped? 😕 [/QUOTE] As **Mangetout** said, a child may not understant what is being done. My Merriam-Webster dictionary defines rape as “sexual intercourse by a man with a woman without her consent and chiefly by force or deception.” I, _personally_, extend the “deception” part to include emotional manipulation and blackmail. A teenager can be manipulated by an adult in a [position of power](http://homepage.mac.com/merussell/iblog/B835531044/C1592678312/E20060709081827/index.html) , i.e. “If you don’t have sex with me I won’t help you \.” It may take some time before the significance of the act impacts the child. Having sex when you really don’t want to can have a very deep emotional impact, especially on someone who is emotionally vulnerable. Mouse\_Maven, rape survivor. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/19 "2006-08-03T16:19:16Z")
[QUOTE=Mouse\_Maven] I, _personally_, extend the “deception” part to include emotional manipulation … Having sex when you really don’t want to can have a very deep emotional impact, especially on someone who is emotionally vulnerable. [/QUOTE] So, would “getting a woman on the rebound” count as “emotional manipulation” or “someone who is emotionally vulnerable”? 😕 'Cause I’ve done that. And, that has been done _to_ me, too. ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049/20 "2006-08-03T16:26:05Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Just out of interest, _how_ did you revisit the memory as an adult? [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Malacandra] Also, how is it possible to mistake being raped? 😕 [/QUOTE] I can’t say what Johanna’s experience was but… In my own case, it was a memory not thought of, it wasn’t that I had forgot, it was just that I didn’t think of it, until I was almost an adult and figured out the context of that experience. The molesters/rapists do not frame the attack as sex, in my case it was framed as a game - and it was supposed to be fun, except it hurt and it wasn’t fun. Through out my childhood it was just a time I played a game which was not fun with a 16 year old boy, so I didn’t want to play with him ever again, and I never did - the memory was not “important”, because there are many times when you play games as a child and it wasn’t a fun game, so it is filed away in the part of the brain which less important memories go. Then after gaining sexual experience I was thinking back to that part of my childhood, and I remembered the “game”, and realized what it was. I can see how many people file away the meory as unimportant until they realize what happened in a more adult context. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-group-is-most-prone-to-raping-a-woman/367049.md?page=2)