The Cost of Sexual Violence//Colleen Kase

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        Over the past several weeks, revelations of sexual assault and harassment have seemed to come spilling out of every corner of American life: the entertainment industry, state and national governments, the media, Olympic sports, and Silicon Valley tech giants, to name just a few. To me, it has felt frustrating to hear some people (mostly men, but some women, too) express their shock or pointed disbelief that these experiences are so prevalent. To me and the women I know, they are shamefully common, an aspect of life as a female-identified person that we have invented a million little strategies to avoid, and another million to cope with when they inevitably occur to us or our loved ones. On the other hand, it feels liberating and exciting to hear so many brave women speak their truths to power, and finally have it make an impact.

       One aspect of this movement that I believe the American public has yet to fully reckon with is the immense price that sexual assault and harassment exact from their victims. The CDC estimates that rape costs approximately $122,461 per victim (or $3.1 trillion overall) in terms of lost productivity, mental and physical health issues, and criminal justice proceedings (Peterson, DeGue, Florence, & Lokey, 2017). Over 80% of women who experience sexual harassment in the workplace leave that workplace within two years, resulting in a significantly higher likelihood of financial instability (McLaughlin, Uggen, & Blackstone, 2017). And the costs are greater for women of color, indigenous women, poor women, and disabled women, who experience sexual violence at higher rates, are less likely to be perceived sympathetically by police, courts, and the media, and are systemically disadvantaged in terms of mental and physical healthcare.

      Of course, the true cost of sexual assault and harassment to its victims, their friends and families, and the culture at large goes far beyond what can be calculated economically. Many survivors of sexual assault and harassment report experiencing a perceived loss of autonomy, decreased self-esteem, and increased interpersonal conflict, on which it is impossible to place a monetary value. The moments of joy, freedom, and independence that have been stolen from survivors can never be truly recouped, even in this new #MeToo era when perpetrators are being fired, censured, and brought to justice in the public spotlight. While this kind of retroactive justice is critically important, the anti-violence feminist movement also needs to inspire a cultural shift away from toxic masculinity and towards consent, respect, and radical empowerment, so that fewer girls and women in the future have to bear this cost in the first place.

Written by Colleen Kase

McLaughlin, H., Uggen, C., & Blackstone, A. (2017). The economic and career effects of
       sexual harassment on working women. Gender & Society, 31, 333-358.
       doi: 10.1177/0891243217704631

Peterson, C., DeGue, S., Florence, C., & Lokey, C. N. (2017). Lifetime economic burden of rape
among US adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 52, 691-701.
        doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.11.014