Through the years, there has been increasing news coverage of sexual assault and sexual abuse. Even so, people still wonder if these things really happen here in Maine.

Because so many people remain silent about their victimization, sexual assault and sexual abuse remains a hidden epidemic.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and will provide opportunities to learn more about these crimes. So let’s start with some basic information.

In 2007, the Maine Crime Victimization Report assessed the experience of sexual violence in Maine. That report shows that 1 in 5 Maine adults (28.5 percent of females and 7.4 percent of males) have been victims of rape or attempted rape. With the most recent census data, Androscoggin County has 84,293 people age 18 or over.

Assuming an even gender split and applying the MCVR percentages, 3,118 males and 12,009 females in Androscoggin County have been victims of rape or attempted rape.

It is important to note that the words “rape or attempted rape” were used in the MCVR. Many survivors of sexual violence may have experiences that in their opinion do not meet the definition of “rape or attempted rape” and so would not have answered affirmatively on this question. It is reasonable to believe that the numbers would be higher if a more inclusive term such as “sexual assault” had been used instead.

For children, it is estimated that 1 in 4 females and 1 in 6 males are victims of sexual abuse before the age of 18 (Pediatric Annual, May 1997). According to the 2010 Maine Kids Count Book, there were 23,409 children in Androscoggin County under the age of 18. If we assume an even gender split and apply the above statistics, 2,926 girls and 1,950 boys in Androscoggin County have been or will be sexually abused before the age of 18.

In addition, 1 in every seven victims of sexual assault is under the age of 6. (Youth Victimization: Prevalence and Implications, 2003). Applying the information from the MCVR, 445 males and 1,716 females were under the age of 6 when the assault occurred.

Last year, the Maine Kids Count book also asked about the level of rape (they used the term “forced sexual intercourse”) among young people. They found that 8.6 percent of males and 12.8 percent of females in Maine have been physically forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to. (The overall percent for Maine was 10.7 percent, a rise of 2.6 percent from last year. The national overall percent is 7.8). Applying these numbers in Androscoggin County, 1,498 females and 1,006 males under the age of 18 have been raped.

People who are sexually abused or sexually assaulted can experience difficult and long-lasting impacts. In addition to the physical, emotional and personal impacts, survivors of sexual assault can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (50-90 percent of rape victims) , experience anxiety and depression (more than 38 percent are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder) and attempt suicide (16 percent of adults who experienced childhood sexual abuse).

Sexual assault also has an economic cost. In 2000, 36 percent of rape and sexual assault victims lost 10 or more days of work following the assault (U.S. Dept. of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey: Personal and Property Crimes, 2002). The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that the cost of a single sexual assault is $87,000. And, since many victims experience more than one sexual assault in their lifetimes, the cost per victim is estimated to be $110,000. Those costs include medical, law enforcement and court related costs, property loss and damage, social service response and assistance, counseling and other treatment expenses, and loss of productivity/work time.

How an individual is affected by sexual violence and the duration of their healing process is influenced by many factors, including their unique personality (how does this person generally cope with trauma?), the nature of their support system (are people believing and supporting them? Are services available?), other life stressors (relationship, employment, family responsibilities, etc.), and whether the person has had a prior experience of sexual violence.

But with the proper support and assistance, sexual assault victims do work through the trauma and survive not only the crime, but its aftermath. In fact, they are among the strongest, most resilient people I know.

Enough of the statistics. The point is this: Of course sexual assault and sexual abuse happen here, in our county, in our neighborhood, in our homes — to us. It is a devastating crime with long-lasting impact, not only for the victim but also for their loved ones and for the community.

Isn’t it time that we acknowledge that sexual violence happens, learn about it, and work toward ending it?

Marty McIntyre is executive director of the Sexual Assault Crisis Center.