The Underreporting of Sexual Assault

It’s a difficult truth we must confront: sexual assault is frequently underreported and may not lead to a conviction in the legal system.

• A person may choose not to report to law enforcement or may find themselves unable to tell anyone about their deeply personal and painful experience for a variety of complex and deeply personal reasons.

Some of the most common reasons include:

• A profound fear of not being believed, of having their truth questioned or dismissed.
• A terrifying fear of retaliation, of facing further harm or reprisal for speaking out.
• Overwhelming feelings of shame or the devastating fear of being unfairly blamed for what happened to them.
• Intense pressure from others, who may try to silence them or discourage them from reporting.
• Deep distrust towards law enforcement, perhaps stemming from past negative experiences or a lack of faith in the system.
• A heart-wrenching desire to protect the attacker, perhaps a family member or someone they care about, for a multitude of complex reasons.