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Reviewer	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	recommendation	Total
Debra Houry	4	3	2	4	oral	13
Massimo Mirandola	5	5	6	4		20
					Overall Total	33
					Average	16.5

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Email: *	[email protected]
Surname: *	Miller
First Name: *	Ted
Job Title: *	Principal Research Scientist
Institution: *	Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation
Address *	11720 Beltsville Drive, #900 Calverton, MD
Post/Zip Code *	20705

Preferred presentation mode *

oral

Are you prepared to accept an alternative presentation mode? *

Yes

Title of paper *

In the United States, Sexual Violence Costs More Than Drunk Driving

Authors: *

Ted R Miller
Dexter M Taylor
Monique Sheppard

Presenting Author: *

Ted R Miller

Topic(s): *

Intimate partner and sexual violence, Surveillance/burden of injury, Youth violence

Other Topic(s)

Key Words

cost sexual assault incidence underreporting

Abstract Content *

We estimated costs of sexual violence in selected states and are making a national estimate. Cost categories include medical care, mental health care, victim services, foster care, police services, perpetrator treatment, adjudication, sanctioning, and victim loss of wages and quality of life. Quality of life losses were estimated from lawsuits against third parties who failed to secure and illuminate their premises or served alcohol to an already-intoxicated person prior to an assault. We estimated probabilities and costs of sexually transmitted illnesses, unplanned pregnancies, and (based on studies of twins) of youth victimization causing suicide acts or substance abuse. Unit costs came from crime surveys, health care data, state sanctioning budgets, and published literature.
In 2005, for example, 61,000 Minnesota residents were sexually assaulted, suffering an average of 1.26 assaults per victim. Police logged 7,200 reports of unwanted sexual intercourse, but only 2,617 met the law enforcement definition of rape. Consequently, most police-reported rapes were omitted from state rape statistics. (Michigans definition created less undercounting.)
Sexual violence costs 3.3 times as much as alcohol-impaired driving in Minnesota. Costs totaled $8 billion in 2005, or $1,540 per resident. Quality of life losses of victims and their families and related breakdowns in their lives and relationships wee the largest costs. Criminal justice and perpetrator treatment cost $130 million. Other direct spending totaled $1.3 billion. State government spent $130 million on sexual violence perpetrators and $90 million on victims. More resources are needed for sexual assault prevention and victim assistance. Our methods are replicable.

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