I. INTRODUCTION The United States Sentencing Commission's 1995 description of rape (1) as a "growing problem" was an understatement. (2) The numbers are shocking. For instance, "[i]n 1993, 100,200 forcible rapes were attempted and 40,730 were completed." (3) This figure includes only reported rapes, and due to massive underreporting, the number of rapes in 1991 is estimated at 173,000--62% greater than the number reported. (4) From 1981 to 1991, the United States experienced a 28% increase in reported rapes--more than double the 11.9% growth in the nation's population. (5) These numbers remain high. The Department of Justice found that in 2008 there were 203,830 victims of rape or sexual assault over the age of twelve--roughly one sexual assault every three minutes. (6) While the incidence of sexual assault has fallen steadily since 1973, the overall numbers remain staggering. (7)
