Tuesday September 12, 6:30 am Eastern Time

Press Release

Many Teen Girls Keep Rape a Secret from Parents, According to SmartGirl Research

'I never told a soul. I was scared, so I kept it to myself until just now.' - Girl, age 15

NEW YORK, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Violence Against Women Act nears expiration on October 1, an online poll conducted by SmartGirl.com has revealed some startling truths about just how many girls are forced or pressured into sexual activity. Out of 339 teen girls surveyed, 28% stated that they had been pushed into having sex or performing sexual acts against their will. The survey further revealed that in many cases girls are NOT talking about these devastating incidents to the parents and caregivers who can offer much-needed help. With the release of its findings, SmartGirl is calling for a large-scale re-examination of the way that girls are educated about what to do in a situation involving non-consensual sexual activity.

Girls Blame Themselves, Not Their Attackers

``I felt responsible because I couldn't stop it. I was wearing something too revealing.'' -Girl, 16

When asked whether they felt the forced sexual activity was their fault, 54% of the respondents who referred to an instance of forced sex said they did and another 10% said they didn't know. Only 36% of this group said they knew the attack was not their fault. Additionally, because many of the incidents involved boyfriends or acquaintances who were trusted, girls were sometimes unclear about whether they had the right to say no. 21% of this survey's respondents said that they had at times felt uncomfortable engaging in sexual activity, but gave in because they didn't know how to refuse. As one 14-year-old explained, ``I thought I had to because we were going out.''

Daughters May Be Afraid to Ask Parents for Help Because They Fear Punishment

``I couldn't call my parents. They'd be angry at me for calling so late and they'd wonder why I was so far away from home without a lift.'' - Girl, 17

SmartGirl is urging parents to pay close attention to its findings. For those who believe that their daughters would come to them with a problem as serious as sexual assault, these results show that may not be the case. Only 8% of girls who were forced or raped saw their attacker brought to justice. In many cases, this is because the girls never spoke to the authorities about what happened. In fact, several girls revealed that they were articulating their experiences for the first time in the SmartGirl survey. Some of the girls who didn't reach out to their parents mentioned that they were afraid of being punished because they were ``breaking the rules'' (drinking, staying out past curfew, hanging out with older guys) when the incident occurred. Many girls already blamed themselves, and they believe that their parents would blame them too. One 22-year-old reflects back on a date rape that occurred in her teens: ``I feel responsible because I didn't listen to my parents and I should've stayed home. I wasn't even allowed to go out with him that night, so I never told anybody.''

How SmartGirl Believes Parents Can Help

SmartGirl believes that parents need to include support messages with their rules. For example, when making rules about parties, boyfriends, clothes or makeup, parents should explain that no matter what she is wearing or what rule she has disobeyed, they would always help in a scary situation. Along with any rule that is established in the interest of a daughter's safety, parents need to stress that even when these rules are broken, a rape or sexual assault is never her fault and she deserves medical and psychological help as well as legal recourse.

Isabel Walcott, president of SmartGirl.com, noted, ``The young men who force themselves on these girls need to be stopped or they will continue their behavior with other girls. The girls who fall victim to sexual assault are often ashamed to tell their parents because they think they'll be punished twice for the same offense. They had a beer, wore a bikini, or went somewhere forbidden, and they believe that their punishment was getting raped. Clearly, most parents would come to a daughter's aid, not discipline her, in a situation like this. But the girls don't know this. Because the extent of this problem is widely overlooked, I doubt most parents have even considered asking their daughter if she has ever been forced into sexual acts.''

The Survey

SmartGirl.com collected data by randomly soliciting input from the SmartGirl.com audience from July 28, 2000 through August 22, 2000. 339 U.S. and Canadian girls ages 12 and up were asked a range of questions related to forced sexual activity. The anonymous survey, which did not collect personally identifiable information, combined multiple choice and essay questions to prevent careless or prank responses. For a report on the findings, contact Isabel Walcott at isabel@smartgirl.com

About SmartGirl.com

Launched in 1996, SmartGirl.com has led the way in providing space on the internet that is created by and for girls. Today, the site is a premier destination for girls who are interested in sharing their views on everything from the latest movies and fashion trends to every-day issues like school, relationships and navigating adolescence.

SOURCE: SmartGirl.com