Shattering The Stigma
What is Shattering The Stigma?
Anti-sexual violence activism tends to center white, straight, cis, able-bodied women. The reality of this issue extends to everyone regardless of race, gender, ability, class, sexuality, or profession. Sexual assault affects not only white women, but men, people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, and sex workers. We need to Shatter the Stigma and uplift these voices in our advocacy to ensure that the most vulnerable do not slip through the cracks.
This campaign is working to empower survivors in communities that are often overlooked by raising awareness on the ways they experience sexual violence and how those who exist at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities may be at even greater risk.
Learn More About Intersectionality
Get Involved
Download our social media toolkit to #ShatterTheStigma and raise awareness around these important facts this Sexual Assault Awareness Month
LGBTQIA+ Survivors
- 44% of lesbian women & 61% of bisexual women experience rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 35% of straight women1
- 26% of gay men & 37% of bisexual men experience rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 29% of straight men1
- 47% of transgender people are sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime2
- 65% of Indigenous, 59% of Multiracial, 58% of Middle Eastern, and 53% of Black transgender respondents were sexually assaulted in their lifetime2
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The Trevor Project |
866.488.7386 | |
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The Trans Lifeline |
877.565.8860 | |
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LGBT National Hotline |
888.843.4564 |
Male Survivors
- At least 23% of men have experienced unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime, 11% have experienced sexual harassment, and 44% have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime1
- At least 46% of teen boys and college men report experiencing sexual coercion in their lifetime3
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1 in 6 | |
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MenHealing | |
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MaleSurvivor |
BIPOC Survivors
- 44% of AAPI women, 21% of AAPI men, and 41% of transgender AAPI experience sexual violence during their lifetime1,2
- 40% of Black women and 20% Black men will be sexually assaulted at some point during their lifetime1
- 96% of the Indigenous female survivors experience violence from a non-Indigenous perpetrator4
- 34% of Latina women and 33% of Latino men have experienced unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime1
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ATASK |
617.338.2355 | |
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Ujima | ||
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StrongHearts Native Helpline |
844.762.8483 | |
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Spanish Sexual Assault Hotline |
800.656.4673 |
Survivors with Disabilities
- 83% of women with disabilities have been sexually assaulted in their lives5
- Men with disabilities and deaf men are 2x as likely to experience sexual violence (other than rape) than men without disabilities6
- 61% of transgender people with a disability are sexually victimized in their lifetime, which was much more prevalent than those who did not7
- Between 97 – 99% of abusers are known and trusted by survivors8
- 32% are family members
- 44% are caretakers, home health aides and living facility attendants
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American Association of People with Disabilities | |
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Disability Visibility Project |
Survivors in Sex Work
Statistics on Sex Workers are limited due to lack of research.
- Globally, sex workers have a 45% to 75% chance of experiencing sexual violence on the job9
- Each year, hundreds of murders on transgender people are reported globally, and of those around 60% of the victims are estimated to be sex workers10
- With the popularization of online sex work via platforms such as OnlyFans, it is believed that the number of sex workers has increased.
- Over two million content creators produce sexually explicit content for more than 130 million users11
People wrongly believe that sex workers cannot be sexually assaulted, but consent is still present in sex work. Consensual sex work entails that both parties, the participant and the sex worker, must agree to perform sexual acts without revoking their consent or the presence of coercion, including for survival or fear of retaliation.
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Swop USA | |
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NSWP | |
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The Black Sex Worker Collective | |
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Pineapple Support | |
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SWOP Behind Bars |
Sources
- Leemis R.W., Friar N., Khatiwada S., Chen M.S., Kresnow M., Smith S.G., Caslin, S., & Basile, K.C. (2022). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2016/2017 Report on Intimate Partner Violence. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- James, S. E., Herman, J. L., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L., & Anafi, M. (2016). The report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Retrieved from the National Center for Transgender Equality: https://www.transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/USTS-Full-Report-FINAL.PDF
- French, B. H., Tilghman, J. D., & Malebranche, D. A. (2015). Sexual coercion context and psychosocial correlates among diverse males. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 16(1), 42–53. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035915
- Sexual Violence Against Women and Children in Indian Country. (2025). Niwrc.org. https://www.niwrc.org/sites/default/files/images/resource/niwrc_fact_sheet_sexual_violence_indian_country.jpg
- Disability Justice. (2014). Sexual Abuse | Disability Justice. Disability Justice. https://disabilityjustice.org/sexual-abuse/
- Black, M.C., Basile, K.C., Breiding, M.J., Smith, S.G., Walters, M.L., Merrick, M.T., Chen, J., & Stevens, M.R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Seelman, K. L. (2015). Unequal Treatment of Transgender Individuals in Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Programs. Journal of Social Service Research, 41(3), 307–325. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2014.987943
- Baladerian, N.J. Sexual abuse of people with developmental disabilities. Sex Disabil 9, 323–335 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01102020
- Deering, K. N., Amin, A., Shoveller, J., Nesbitt, A., Garcia-Moreno, C., Duff, P., Argento, E., & Shannon, K. (2014). A systematic review of the correlates of violence against sex workers. American journal of public health, 104(5), e42–e54. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.301909
- Berredo, Lukas, AR Arcon, Amaranta Gómez Regalado, Carter Honorée, Neish McLean, Islèm Mejri,Simran Shaikh, Timofey Shenker, and Vaito’a Toelupe (2018). Global trans perspectives on health and wellbeing: TvT community report. Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide project. TGEU.
- Lippmann, M., Lawlor, N., & Leistner, C. E. (2023). Learning on OnlyFans: User Perspectives on Knowledge and Skills Acquired on the Platform. Sexuality & culture, 1–21. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-022-10060-0
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