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(CNN) - More than 3.3 million American women between the ages of 18 and 44 were raped the first time they had sex, according to a new study, and "all demographic groups reported substantial roles of forced sexual initiation." .
The study, published Monday in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine, notes that the World Health Organization recognizes forced sexual initiation - "a first unwanted sexual relationship that is forced or physically coerced" - as a different form of sexual violence .
"We believe it is accurate to describe these events as a violation," said Dr. Laura Hawks, a primary care physician and researcher at Harvard Medical School who co-authored the study.
The study says that 6.5% of women surveyed had a first unwanted sexual relationship that was forced or coerced and "seems to be common." The researchers estimated that it is about 1 in 16 American women.
The average age of women who experienced forced sexual initiation was 15.6 years. The average age of the couple or aggressor at that time was 6 years older. Among women whose first sexual relationship was voluntary, the average age was 17.4 years.
About 50% of women surveyed said the author was older or older. More than 46% of the women were retained. In 56% of cases, men used verbal pressure. The men used physical threats more than 26% of the time and caused physical damage in more than 25% of the instances. About 22% of the women were drugged.
Survivors faced long-term consequences, such as increased rates of HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis and menstrual problems. More than 30% said they had a first unwanted pregnancy, while 24% said they had ever had an abortion in their lives, higher percentages than among women whose first sexual relationship was voluntary.
Previous research has shown that more than 40% of women have experienced some type of sexual violence in their lives, and that half of these have been raped. The authors of this study said there are no recent data focusing on the first experiences with sexual intercourse. The survey included 13,310 women and was nationally representative of the population aged 18 to 44 years. The data comes from the National Family and Growth Survey from 2011 to 2017.
"It is likely that a practicing doctor will treat several patients each week who have experienced this form of trauma," the authors wrote in the study, saying doctors should develop tools to identify and help people who have experienced it.
Sexual abuse Violation
