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The existing statistics begin to tell the story, but the high cost of sexual violence is ultimately our business because we can prevent it. We want people of all ages to live up to their full potential. We can change the odds by changing the environment.

We know that it is not possible to treat, prosecute, incarcerate or educate our way out of these losses. Minnesota is poised to be a leader in preventing the individual and public health impact of sexual violence. Minnesota has a proven record of creating community-based social change in areas such as infant car seat legislation and recycling programs.

What is Sexual Violence?

Sexual Violence is the use of sexual actions and words that are unwanted by and/or harmful to another person.

Some of these actions are defined as crimes by Minnesota statutes. Some experiences of sexual violence are hurtful violations of personal boundaries but may not rise to the level of a crime. However, that does not diminish the victim's experience of being harmed.

Sexual violence occurs to Minnesotans across the life span. Perpetrators are often acquaintances, family members, or trusted adults, as well as those who exploit others for commerical gain or who sexually harm through the use of technology. For more information, please click here.

Understanding Sexual Violence (CDC)

Violence Data Brief (MDH)

Definitions Related to Sexual Violence (MDH)

What are the losses?

Minnesota:

Sexual violence injures our citizens, decreases productivity, and costs our state $8 billion dollars annually. (1)
Lost work in Minnesota in 2005 due to sexual violence: $162,795,000 or $3,300 per victimization. (1)
The age of patients seeking medical attention after an incident of sexual violence ranged from less than age one to more than 100. (2)
Since 2002 the rate of hospital care due to sexual violence has climbed 6% every year. (2)
Four of every five people assaulted were female (2005).
Sexual violence costs 3.3 times as much as alcohol-impaired driving in Minnesota.

Nationally:

Sexual, physical and psychological violence causes as much illness and death among women aged 15-44 as cancer. (3)
Child sexual abuse and exploitation are more common than teen pregnancy, childhood obesity or pediatric cancer. (4)
64,446 victims of rape by an intimate partner lose time from work as a result of the assaults. Loss in earnings is $4,446,774 per day.(5)
176, 500 victims of stalking lose time from work. Loss in earnings is $16,414,500 per day (5).
Juries have awarded sexual harassment plaintiffs up to $90 million in damages (6).
60% of corporations now use pornography detecting software. 84% of bosses who said they fired someone for Internet misuse cited pornography as the reason (7).
Child sexual abuse impacts health care costs across a lifespan. Healthcare costs are 16% higher for women who experienced child sexual abuse and 36% higher if they experienced both sexual and physical abuse.
22% of teen girls say they have electronically sent or posted online nude or semi-nude images of themselves.

(1) Minnesota Department of Health, July 2007, Cost of Sexual Violence in Minnesota, Tables 7, 10. (2) Minnesota Department of Health, Violence Data Brief: Sexual Violence 2002-2007, No.3, May 2009, page2. (3) Beyond Victims and Villains: Addressing Sexual Violence in the Education Sector, Women’s International Network News, Vol 29. No 3., 37-38 (Summer, 2003). (4) Extrapolated from: Newlin, Chris. Keynote Address - Putting Child Abuse Into Social Context: How Does it Relate to Other Issues Affecting Children? 9th Current Thinking/New Directions Conference; Hyannis, MA; September 25-26, 2008. (5) Joan C. Chrisler and Sheila Ferguson, Violence Against Women as a Public Health Issue, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1087, 234-249 (2006). (6) Alexei Oreskovic and Margaret Fisk, The High Cost of Harassment, 6 Corp. Counsel 95 (2002). (7) Eberstadt, Mary, Is Pornography the New Tobacco? Policy Review. Hoover Institution, Stanford University (April/May 2009).

Sexual Violence Data (MDH)

"No mass disorder afflicting mankind is ever brought under control or eliminated by attempts at treating the individual."
~Dr. George Albee, "The Argument for Primary Prevention"

How Will We Prevent Sexual Violence in Minnesota?

The prevention of sexual violence in Minnesota begins with the idea that sexual violence IS our business. The losses affect us all, and they are preventable.

The Spectrum of Prevention

The Promise of Primary Prevention

Media

The Minnesota Summit to Prevent Sexual Violence Press Release

Editorial: Widening the circle to fight sex violence

Sexual Violence Prevention Links and Resources

Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA)
Provides sexual assault information including state statutes, locations and telephone numbers of other sexual assault programs in Minnesota. Advocates for people affected by sexual violence.

Minnesota Department of Health, Sexual Violence Prevention Program
Helps organizations identify effective ways to prevent sexual violence. To support the “MN Champions” initiative, MDH-SVP will help you with community organizing ideas, speakers, tools, sample policies and programs, etc. Also included on the MDH website are links to: Costs of Sexual Violence Prevention Network, The Sexual Violence Data Brief 2002-2007.

Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition (MIWSAC)
One of 22 Tribal Coalitions around the country formed to address sexual assault and domestic violence in American Indian communities, focusing specifically on ending and preventing sexual violence.

Minnesota Men’s Action Network (MNMAN)
Building a public/private sexual violence prevention effort that promotes male leadership.

Ramsey County Public Health, Sexual Offense Services (SOS)
Sexual assault program serving Ramsey County. Assisted with Ramsey County inventory of sexual violence prevention activities.

Sensibilities, Inc.
Website for Cordelia Anderson, nationally known speaker and consultant on prevention of child sexual exploitation and sexual violence, based in Minnesota.

ACE Study
The ACE Study is perhaps the largest scientific research study of its kind, analyzing the relationship between multiple categories of childhood trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and health and behavioral outcomes later in life.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sexual Violence Prevention
Resources include fact sheets, data sources, risk and protective factors, prevention strategies.

The Community Toolbox
The Community Tool Box, developed at the University of Kansas, is the world's largest resource for free information on essential skills for building healthy communities. It offers more than 7,000 pages of practical guidance in creating change and improvement, and is growing as a global resource for this work.

Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse (MINCAVA)
Supports research, education, and access to violence related resources.

National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center serves as the nation’s principle information and resource center regarding all aspects of sexual violence. It provides national leadership, consultation and technical assistance by generating and facilitating the development and flow of information on sexual violence intervention and prevention strategies. The NSVRC works to address the causes and impact of sexual violence through collaboration, prevention efforts and the distribution of resources.

Prevention Institute
The Prevention Institute addresses complex health and social issues, moving beyond approaches targeting individuals to create systematic, comprehensive strategies that change the conditions that impact community health. The organization builds on the successes of a variety of fields and applies them to areas such as injury and violence prevention, traffic safety, health disparities, nutrition and physical activity, and youth development.

Search Institute
The Search Institute is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities.

Minnesota Champions Initiative
See what Minnesota Counties are doing advance prevention

_________________________________the bottom line is prevention