Pregnancy and Sexual Violence

The following comes from The Awareness Center's Daily Newsletter:

Stats: Pregnancies Resulting from Rape

In 2002, according to the 2002 National Crime Victimization Study, 86,290 women were raped. According to medical reports, the incidence of pregnancy for one-time unprotected sexual intercourse is 5%. By applying the 5% pregnancy rate to 86,290 women, RAINN estimates that there were up to 4,315 pregnancies as a result of rape.

This calculation does not account for the following factors which could lower the actual number of pregnancies.

• Rape, as defined by the NCVS, is forced sexual intercourse. Forced sexual intercourse means vaginal, anal or oral penetration by the offender(s). This category includes incidents where the penetration is from a foreign object such as a bottle. Certain types of rape under this definition cannot cause pregnancy.

• Medical estimates of a 5% pregnancy rate are for one-time, unprotected sexual intercourse. Some victims of rape may be utilizing birth control methods, such as the pill, which will prevent pregnancy. Additionally, some rapists may wear condoms in an effort to avoid DNA detection.

• Victims of rape may not be able to become pregnant for medical or age-related reasons.

• This calculation does not account for the following factors which could raise the actual number of pregnancies.

• Medical estimates of a 5% pregnancy rate are for one-time, unprotected sexual intercourse. Some victimizations may include multiple incidents of intercourse.

• Because of its methodology, NCVS does not measure victimizations of Americans age 12 or younger. Rapes of these young people could result in pregnancies that are not accounted for in RAINN estimates.