What is sexual assault?
Wisconsin statutes define four degrees of sexual assault. They range from uninvited and unwanted touching to forced intercourse. Sexual assault can occur between persons in dating or sexual relationships, including marriage. It can also occur between persons of the same sex.
Unfortunately, the majority of rapes occur between people who know each other.
In 93 percent of all the sexual assaults reported in Wisconsin in 1998, the assailant was someone known
by the victim and 7 percent were strangers. (Office of Justice Assistance, State of Wisconsin, crime and arrests 1998.