Federal sexual violence stats sow confusion

The Washington Post: Sexual violence is a major problem in America, and the federal government has various programs to combat it. But those efforts might be more effective if Uncle Sam had a better idea of what he’s fighting.

The problem: Federal sexual violence statistics are confusing. “Rape is rape” makes a good protest sign, but it doesn’t begin to explain the ways the federal government classifies these violent acts.

Four agencies manage 10 data collections that use 23 different terms to describe sexual violence, according to a Government Accountability Office report, which said the collections “rarely use the same terminology to describe sexual violence.”

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