#ME TOO, A POINT OF CONSENSUS — Part 1: 1 in every 4 American women and 1 in every 26 American men experience rape. Part 2: All of us are paying for it. Lifetime Economic Burden of Rape in the US, 2022: over $6 trillion.
from POWER POINT (Sheila-Na-Gig Editions, 2024)
winner, 2025 National Press Women Communications Prize
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#ME TOO, A POINT OF CONSENSUS — Part 1: 1 in every 4 American women and 1 in every 26 American men experience rape. Part 2: All of us are paying for it. Lifetime Economic Burden of Rape in the US, 2022: over $6 trillion.
Two pages of data: who is affected, how rarely justice follows — and the economic cost we all carry.
This poem also has a fully animated, interactive version →
Data year: 2016–2017 (NISVS)
| Group | Lifetime experience of rape | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 1 in 4 (25%) | |
| Men | 1 in 26 (4%) | |
| Female victims first raped before age 18 | 43% | |
| Female victims first raped before age 25 | 79% |
Source: CDC, National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2016–2017 Report (published 2022).
"Rape" includes completed and attempted rape in the NISVS definition.
Data year: 2022
| Stage | Percentage of assaults | |
|---|---|---|
| Assaults reported to police | ~21% | |
| Reports leading to arrest | ~12% | |
| Cases prosecuted | ~7% | |
| Resulting in felony conviction | ~5% |
Source: RAINN, "Criminal Justice Information" (citing DOJ Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2022 Criminal Victimization Report).
Data year: 2017 (2022 dollars)
| Cost Category | Per rape victim | |
|---|---|---|
| Medical costs | $956 | |
| Lost productivity | $14,025 | |
| Criminal justice | $23,377 | |
| Premature death | $84,103 | |
| Total per victim | $122,461 |
Source: Peterson et al., "Lifetime Economic Burden of Rape Among US Adults," American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2017.
Updated to 2022 dollars and census figures, the total US lifetime burden exceeds $6 trillion — cited in the poem.
Data year: 2016–2023
| Finding | Data | |
|---|---|---|
| Reduction in perpetration by prevention programs | Up to 40% | |
| Annual victims (US, age 12+) | ~460,000 | |
| Annual cost of sexual violence (US) | $56B+ | |
| Effectiveness of bystander intervention programs | Significant |
Source: "Preventing Sexual Violence," CDC Fast Facts, 2023; "Sexual Violence Prevention Resource for Action," CDC, 2016.
About This Poem
#ME TOO renders real-world statistics on sexual violence (SV) and prevention into letters through data charts created in Microsoft PowerPoint. The poem is an homage to the ME TOO movement (popularized via social media) to end SV complicity and victim shaming. The title, a statement of inherent solidarity and consensus, is belied by the poem's subtext, acknowledging SV as a politicized and polarizing issue. The stark statistics contrast with backlash claims that SV is not a prevalent problem, "the pendulum has swung too far the other way," and that it is only an issue for certain genders or sides of the political spectrum.
The visual staging of the poem echoes a scientific paper, with boxed and numbered text explicating the data. The pink and blue of the large chart-based letters call attention to SV's cross-gender impact. The poem questions the perceived acceptance of a chilling status quo.
Data Sources