Defining Sexual Assault Nationally

It is imperative to have good data about the magnitude and nature of sexual assault to meet diverse service needs and to allocate resources effectively.

The Federal Government defines sexual assault nationally through the Federal Criminal Code, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Uniform Crime Reports, the National Incident-Based Reporting System, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Although most sexual assault cases are litigated on a state level, the federal definitions of sexual assault presented in this section provide a framework through which your SART can gauge the implication of your local services and statistics based on national reporting definitions. These definitions will also help guide interjurisdictional responses.