Article Women's Reporting of Sexual and Physical Assaults to Police in the National Violence Against Women Survey Yingyu Chen I and Sarah E. Ullmani Violence Atonu Woolen 16(1) 262-2)9 °The Amt.:y(02010 Wens and permason hopinnwr sagopciacomflorntheonusoonsroo Da 10 1177/1077001209360061 taplivnes3gepscom OSAGE Abstract Previous research has assumed that rape reporting is unique.but no study has systematically tested this assumption. The present study used a probability sample of female victims from the National Violence Against Women Survey to compare factors affecting rape and physical assault reporting using multinomial logit regression. Overall. results suggested that there was similarity in reporting decisions between rapes and physical assaults in terms of main effects. However.inceractions suggested chat age. marital status.and physical force each influenced reporting differently by assault type. Implications of these results are discussed and directions for future research are offered. Keywords police reporting. physical assault, rape Of all personal crimes, rape/sexual assault has been considered the most serious and trau- matic. short of homicide (Koss & Harvey, 1991; Resick & Nishith, 1997). Women may be attacked by various types of perpetrators, most often someone they know (e.g.. acquain- tances. partners). The National Women's Study (NWS) indicated that only 22% of rape victims were assaulted by strangers or someone they did not know well, 9% by husbands or ex-husbands, 11% by fathers or stepfathers. 10% by boyfriends or ex-boyfriends. 16% by other relatives, and 29% by other nonrclatives, such as friends or neighbors (Kilpatrick, Edmunds. & Seymour. 1992). Victims of sexual violence may experiences rangeof behav- ioral and psychological problems, which can last from a few months to as long as several ITaipes.Taivean 'University of Minas at Chicago Corresponding Author: Yingyu Chen. 4F. No.24. Lane 342. Lontliang Road.