According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, there were 560,890 incidents of rape or sexual assault in the United States in 2024. This data is collected by the U.S. Department of Justice and is the most comprehensive data we have. The DOJ also gathers evidence regarding where most sexual assault takes place. Surprisingly, most assaults do not happen in public; instead, they take place in a home or other private setting.
Contact our law firm to speak with an Atlanta sexual assault lawyer if you were raped or assaulted. Our firm has decades of experience bringing civil claims for sexual assault against perpetrators and property owners who allowed assault to happen. With a civil claim, victims can demand compensation for their pain and emotional distress, among other damages.
Most Assaults Happen in a Victim’s Home
Sexual assault is most frequent in a victim’s residence or home, usually because they know their assailant. For example, a woman might invite a date into her apartment, only to be assaulted in her bed. Other victims are assaulted by friends and family, some of whom they might be living with.
Some victims are hesitant to report sexual assault or rape when it happens in their home because they wrongly think they are in some way responsible. That is a mistaken view. You can be the victim of assault even if you asked someone into your home or apartment. No one consents to being raped simply because you invite someone in.
Other victims hesitate to come forward because they fear no one will believe that a friend or relative has assaulted them. As the DOJ found, many sexual assault victims do not report the crime to police. In fact, the rate of reporting fell dramatically from 2023 to 2024.
Assaults Also Happen in the Offender’s Home
This is another common location. An offender might be more comfortable attacking someone on their own turf. For example, an adult could lure a child into their home and then molest them once inside.
Prompt reporting is helpful in these cases, so the police can find evidence before the offender disposes of it. Contact our law office to speak with an attorney.
Many Children Are Molested at School
Sexual assault of children makes the news when it happens in schools or daycare. Children spend upwards of 30 or 40 hours at school, so there is a risk they can be victimized there.
Any victim can seek compensation from the offender. However, in some cases, the school or daycare could have liability, especially if they ignored previous complaints about a staff member. Businesses and schools cannot turn a blind eye to complaints about sexual assault.
Workers Can Suffer Sexual Assault on the Job
Adults might also be victimized at work. Sexual harassment often takes the form of propositioning someone for sex (a quid pro quo) or a hostile environment based on words and offensive images. But harassment can also be physical in nature.
Workers in Georgia are groped, kissed, or even raped at work. We can sue your assailant, but we might also hold your employer accountable, depending on the facts. For example, they might have known about nonconsensual touching, like forced hugs or kisses, but done nothing. The employer could be liable for an assault in those situations.
Some Rapes and Assaults Happen in Public Places
Surprisingly, fewer sexual assaults take place in public. Nonetheless, some people are assaulted in public parks, parking lots, or even on the sidewalk. The offender is often a stranger in these situations.
Fewer assaults take place in public because of the risk of being caught. A victim raped in a park only needs to cry out to draw the attention of other people. Many predators try to get their victim into an isolated location. Still, if you are assaulted in public, you have been the victim of a crime. You might also sue the assailant for assaulting you.
How to Preserve Evidence of an Assault
To bring a successful claim, you will need to prove the assault happened. You probably also need to come forward with evidence the assault was not consensual if you are an adult victim.
Useful evidence in these cases includes:
- Witnesses. Did anyone see you enter your offender’s home? Did they see you attacked in public or at work? Share the names of witnesses with your lawyer. Our firm can follow up and ask the witness what they saw. They might testify on your behalf and back up your story, or at least parts of your story.
- Rape kit evidence. If you were raped, then you should go to the hospital to have a rape kit performed. Physical evidence including semen and hairs can establish you were assaulted.
- Other medical records. Assault victims can suffer bruises, cuts, lacerations, and broken bones. Gather medical evidence to establish your injuries.
- Your own memories. Write down what happened as soon as you can. If a child was assaulted, you can write down whatever they tell you.
- Texts messages or emails mentioning the assault. Your assailant might reach out to threaten you to keep quiet or make other threats. Save all communications.
Reach out to a member of our law firm to learn more about how we bring civil sexual assault claims. We can discuss what other evidence to save in order to bolster your case. The sooner you contact us, the more help we can provide.
Schedule a Consultation with an Atlanta Sexual Assault Lawyer
Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys has won billions of dollars for people injured by sexual assault. Whether the police bring criminal charges, we can seek civil remedies, including compensation.You may contact us by calling (404) 529-3476 or submitting your information online. We can meet for a free, confidential consultation to discuss your assault. Compensation in these cases typically covers medical bills, pain and suffering, depression, and other negative consequences. We can provide an individualized assessment in a private consultation with a member of our legal team.