As you examine the statistics that follow this page, keep in mind that the gathering of this data is extremely difficult.
Survivors of these crimes are far more likely to remain silent about their experiences than victims of other crimes. The combination of fear, shame, doubt and self-criticism work to silence survivors even today, in a climate that is far more enlightened than even ten years ago.
At the University of Virginia, we know that intimate violence occurs far more frequently than the numbers reveal; for this reason, we urge survivors to consider at the very least, submitting an anonymous Third Party Report to this office (basic information is passed along to the Police Department, which reports the data to the Department of Education). This form is primarily for reporting sexual assault and rape. However, you may want to consider calling one of the local hotlines to report stalking or domestic violence, or you may call the Sexual Assault Education Office and report this issue anonymously as well.