In 2013, the legal definition in the U.S. changed to “Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.”[2] Advocates against sexual assault argued that rape does not just occur by strangers, but may also involve acquaintances, partners, friends, and potentially even family members.
The rate of acknowledgement is typically lower if the perpetrator is somebody that the victim was once or currently romantically involved with.
[6] Rape scripts also narrow down one's idea of what sexual assault is, prompting one to not acknowledge what happened to them.
Some research suggests that there is correlation between unacknowledged rape and childhood sexual abuse.
Counterfactual thinking occurs when an individual mentally morphs, restructures, or changes events.
[10] Acquaintance rape is highly prevalent and represents the majority of sexual assault cases.
Studies regarding unacknowledged rape also call into question whether or not the current line of communication between victim and law enforcement officer yields the most success.
However, it has been found that people reporting rapes respond better to behaviorally descriptive questions such as "Did the perp (insert action) without your consent?".
Because jurors can also hold rape myths, a delayed report is often viewed in a negative light.
Lower risk detection capacities and higher alcohol consumption are associated with unaddressed rapes.