What percent of all men have commited rape
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Executive summary
Estimates of how many men have committed rape vary widely by study, definition and country: population surveys that ask about perpetration show some high figures (for example one notable South African survey found about 25% of men admitting to rape) while U.S. victimization and population surveys produce much lower prevalence for male perpetrators when translated into “percent of men who have committed rape” (estimates implied by some U.S. surveys are on the order of a few percent) [1] [2] [3]. Global reporting, undercounting, and differing legal definitions make any single percent a poor summary of the problem [1] [4].
1. Survey vs. recorded crime: two different stories
Police reports and conviction statistics capture a sliver of sexual violence; for example in the UK fewer than 3 in 100 rapes recorded by police in 2024 led to a charge that same year, illustrating massive attrition in the criminal system [5]. By contrast, population surveys and victimization studies measure experiences or admissions that never reach police records; those produce much higher prevalence numbers but are sensitive to question wording and definitions [3] [2].
2. Perpetrator self-reports: some alarming findings, not universal
Some self-report perpetration studies have found very high percentages in specific contexts. A widely cited South African study reported roughly one in four men admitting to having committed rape—an extreme and locally specific finding that researchers and policy makers have debated and that World Population Review highlights as part of country-level variation [1]. Such studies demonstrate that in certain settings self-reported perpetration can be disturbingly common, but these samples are not necessarily representative of every country or population [1].
3. Victimization surveys imply lower “percent of men who have raped” in the U.S.
U.S. national surveys focused on victims give a different angle. Estimates from long-standing U.S. surveys indicate that about 1 in 71 men (1.4%) have been raped in their lifetime (as victims), and other NISVS-derived figures suggest 1 in 21 men (4.8%) reported being made to penetrate someone else; translating victim reports into a percent of male perpetrators is complex and not directly provided by these sources [3]. RAINN’s pages and other U.S. summaries note roughly 3% of U.S. men have experienced attempted or completed rape, but that addresses victims, not perpetrators [6] [7].
4. Definitions matter: “rape,” “sexual violence,” and “contact” are not the same
Different sources use different definitions: “rape” (forced penetration), “made to penetrate,” “sexual coercion,” and broader “contact sexual violence” produce different counts. NSVRC reports nearly a quarter (24.8%) of men in the U.S. experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime—this is victim-focused and covers a wider set of behaviors than statutory definitions of rape [8]. The NSVRC also reports other studies finding 29%+ of men experienced contact sexual violence [9].
5. Measurement limitations: underreporting, question framing, and cultural context
All sources warn underreporting and measurement differences distort comparisons. UNODC- and country-level statistics suffer from different legal definitions and reporting practices; research estimates that only a minority of sexual assaults reach police in many countries, complicating any attempt to estimate what share of men are perpetrators solely from official statistics [1] [4]. Survey wording (e.g., asking about specific acts versus labeled terms like “rape”) dramatically changes responses [3] [2].
6. Who is prosecuted and convicted: a narrow slice of perpetrators
Sentencing and conviction data show most people convicted of sexual abuse are men (93.5% of U.S. sentencing cases referenced), but convictions are a tiny subset of total incidents and do not yield a population prevalence of perpetration [10]. The gap between prevalence in surveys and convictions highlights both under-reporting and the criminal justice system’s limited reach [5] [10].
7. How to interpret the range: caution, context, action
No single number in the provided sources definitively states “X% of all men have committed rape” across populations. Available sources present both high self-report perpetration findings in particular studies (e.g., ~25% in a South African study) and much lower prevalence implied by victim-focused U.S. surveys (single-digit percentages) while repeatedly stressing underreporting and definitional differences [1] [2] [3]. Use study-specific context—country, sample, and exact questions—when citing a percentage.
Limitations and what’s not found here
Sources provided do not offer a single, globally representative percentage of men who have committed rape; they also do not provide a definitive conversion from victimization prevalence to a precise percent of male perpetrators across societies. Available sources do not mention a consensus global perpetrator-rate expressed as “percent of all men” [1] [4] [3].