It has been estimated that approximately 1 in every 6 American women has been raped in her lifetime. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an unfortunate amendment to that estimate: According to new statistics, 19.3 percent of women -- nearly 1 in 5 -- have been raped. 
 
 The CDC estimates looked not only at "completed forced penetration," but also at other forms of sexual violence including attempted rape, unwanted sexual contact, non-contact unwanted sexual experiences (such as being flashed or forced to view explicit images) and sexual coercion. According to the center's definition, sexual coercion includes non-physical pressure into performing an unwanted sexual act ranging from "kissing and fondling" to penetration. Twice as many women experienced some other form of sexual violence as were raped. 
 
 Additionally, the report also considers "completed alcohol- or drug-facilitated penetration" in its definition of rape, because -- contrary to a confused prevailing attitude -- having sex with someone who cannot and/or does not consent is, indeed, rape. The CDC estimates that over 11 million women were raped with the aid of drugs or alcohol in 2011 -- approximately 40 percent by a current or former intimate partner, and well over half by an acquaintance. The information plainly indicates the need for increased (or simply existent) sexual assault prevention measures at places like colleges and universities, where a disproportionate number of these assaults are likely to occur. 
 
 Ultimately, the report concludes with what we already know: "women, in particular, are impacted heavily during their lifetimes" by rape and sexual assault. This is not something we should have to continue to be told, nor is it a fact that should be adjusted only to increase the number of women who are "impacted heavily." It's simply a fact that should not be. ||||| One in five women in the U.S. has been raped at some point in their lives, a survey found, and most victims experienced sexual violence before age 25. 
 
 The report, released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is based on national survey data collected in 2011. The findings were similar to a survey a year earlier. More than 12,000 interviews of men and women were conducted in English and Spanish over a year. 
 
 More than 19 percent of women and almost 2 percent of men have been raped at one point in their lives, according to the 2011 data, an increase of about 1 percentage point from a year earlier. In addition, 44 percent of women and 23 percent of men said they have experienced other forms of sexual violence in their lives, including unwanted sexual contact and sexual coercion. 
 
 “That’s down from 20 years ago, but it’s still an overwhelming number,” said Scott Berkowitz, president of the Washington-based Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. 
 
 Today’s report comes as increased attention has been paid to rape and sexual misconduct, particularly on college campuses. Students nationwide have held protests about the frequency of sexual violence and how cases have been handled by universities. 
 
 Young Victims 
 
 The survey found that 79 percent of female rape victims and 71 percent of male victims were first assaulted before they were 25 years old. 
 
 Incidents of sexual violence in teens and young adults are “often social based, an acquaintance through school or work,” Berkowitz said by telephone. “It’s very common that one or both were drinking.” 
 
 The majority of victims of all types of sexual violence knew their perpetrators. About 60 percent of women who experienced alcohol or drug-facilitated rape were victimized by an acquaintance, the report found. 
 
 Universities are failing to address cases sufficiently, said Berkowitz. More than 40 percent of 440 colleges surveyed hadn’t investigated a sexual assault in the past five years, according to a July report by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat. 
 
 Multiracial Women 
 
 Multiracial women were the most affected by sexual violence, with 32 percent raped at some point in their lives, the survey found. That compares with 28 percent of American Indian or Alaska Native women, 21 percent of black women, 21 percent of non-Hispanic white women and 14 percent of Hispanic women. 
 
 “Although previous research has suggested explanations for elevated rates of violence among American Indian/Alaska Native women,” including “elevated poverty, social and geographic isolation, and a higher likelihood of alcohol use by the perpetrator, little is known about why multiracial women are at greater risk for these forms of violence,” the authors of the report wrote. 
 
 Better research into the prevalence and nature of sexual violence is needed, said Berkowitz, as it affects public policy. For instance, understanding the extent to which incidents are criminal in nature could influence the role the government and law enforcement. 
 
 “I’d give us a B minus,” he said. “We’ve made a lot of progress, but there’s still hundreds of thousands of crimes that occur every year, so we’ve got a substantial way to go.” 
 
 To contact the reporter on this story: Caroline Chen in New York at cchen509@bloomberg.net 
 
 To contact the editors responsible for this story: Reg Gale at rgale5@bloomberg.net Andrew Pollack, Angela Zimm
– The CDC is out with numbers from a comprehensive new survey on rape and sexual assault, and the main takeaway is grim: More than 19% of women in the US, nearly one in five, have been raped at some point in their lives, reports Bloomberg. When the definition is broadened to include other forms of sexual violence, the percentage of female victims rises to 44%. The victims include those unable to give consent because they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, notes Salon. The CDC estimates more than 11 million women were raped in that manner in 2011. The report also says 2% of men have been raped, and 23% have been victims of sexual violence of some kind. In fact, New York highlights this paragraph from the CDC report itself: "Consistent with previous studies, the overall pattern of results suggest that women, in particular, are heavily impacted over their lifetime. However, the results also indicate that many men experience sexual violence, stalking, and, in particular, physical violence by an intimate partner. " For both genders, the abuse is most likely to have happened before age 25. (One man raped at age 14 has now been ordered to pay child support for the daughter he fathered.)