http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/he...ault.html?_r=0
1 in 5 could be the real number of women getting raped over their lifetimes.
The same study came up with 1% of women getting raped every year, which doesn't sound too incredible, and there methods and categorizations seem okay at first glance.
The
US justice Bureau has a much much lower number, 0.18% that suffer from any kind of sexual assault. (This is an estimate based on statistics, haven't checked the methods.)
The Justice Bureau numbers also have sexual assault going down quite a bit over the last decade, which I think is credible considering how much more attention it has gotten and shows that yeah, it actually is worth talking about.
As to rape jokes, of course you can make rape jokes. However, trying to be funny is not a carte blance to be an ***hole either. You said, you own it, and if you get lynched, how should I put it...
My friend has this saying that translates to "my cup of sympathy is overflowing, but very very small". I think it's fitting here.
Here's a good rape joke. I happen to especially like this because I've been in that situation and had that discussion.