Racial Disparities in Survivor Support

Content warning: sexual violence, rape, and assault.

Nearly half of all adult women in the United States report rape, sexual coercion, or other unwanted sexual contact across their lifetimes. Minority racial and ethnic groups are particularly affected by sexual violence. One estimate found that 19% of Black women and 34% of American Indian/Alaska Native women experience rape, compared to 18% of White women.

Injuries, sexually transmitted infections, and post-traumatic stress disorder are only some of the far-reaching consequences survivors of sexual violence face. Survivors may also incur housing and moving costs as they leave unsafe situations following assault. State-administered victim compensation programs in all 50 states help reimburse the costs of medical care and other expenses for survivors. All victim compensation programs are funded through the Crime Victims Fund, which was established by the 1984 Victims of Crime Act and is replenished through fines and court fees paid by federally convicted offenders.

Victim compensation is not guaranteed; the state can deny claims that don’t meet requirements. Each state has its own eligibility criteria for victims seeking compensation, but the basic requirements are largely the same. Survivors must demonstrate the presence of crime-related out-of-pocket costs that were not reimbursed through insurance or other government benefit programs. Survivors are also required to report the crime to law enforcement promptly, although many states offer grace periods and other exceptions for cases of sexual assault.

Notably, the offender does not need to be charged or convicted of the crime for a survivor to be approved for victim compensation. Despite this assurance, law enforcement interference, such as police qualms about the evidentiary validity of a survivor’s sexual assault, is the leading driver of denied compensation claims.

Severe race-based differences exist in these claim denials. Samuel Dickman and colleagues examined racial and ethnic patterns in victim claim denials between 2015 and 2023. Their team analyzed nearly 43,000 compensation claims submitted by female survivors of sexual assault in 18 U.S. states. The study found compensation claims submitted by Black or Indigenous women were much less likely to be approved than claims submitted by White women.

Additionally, survivors referred to the compensation program by law enforcement or hospitals were more likely to have their claims approved than survivors referred by nonprofit groups and other social service providers. The hidden favoritism for applications backed by formal institutions suggests engagement with law enforcement or health care workers may benefit claimants, even though such cooperation is not an eligibility requirement. Black and Indigenous women have long experienced discrimination in the criminal justice and medical systems and thus may be reluctant or afraid to report sexual assault to professionals in legal or health settings. Preferential treatment for applications with institutional validation can put women of color at a particular disadvantage for receiving victim compensation.

Dr. Dickman and colleagues recommend lowering barriers to entry for compensation, particularly barriers that are more likely to deter women of color from reporting their experiences. Primarily, the authors urge policymakers in all states to remove any eligibility criteria requiring survivors to report their sexual assault to law enforcement. Other reforms include simplifying the application process and translating it into multiple languages. States, community organizations, and social welfare program staff can also invest in helping survivors of sexual violence better understand the support services available to them.