ONE of the most common misconceptions about rape is that women are most at risk when walking alone in dark or remote areas where predatory strangers lurk.

But the reality is that more than 80 per cent of rapes in the UK are committed by men known to their victim with many perpetrators of sexual violence being partners or family members – only 13 per cent happen in public places.

Sexual assault can affect men and women, young and old, from all walks of life with experts citing unhealthy sexual attitudes and the need for domination, power and control as the main reasons attackers commit these crimes.

Victims of sexual violence often do not get the support they need to come to terms with what has happened to them as almost half of those raped do not tell anyone.

Long–term consequences for victims include post–traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, social phobia, substance abuse, obesity, eating disorders, self–harm, suicide and, sometimes, turning to criminality.

Child abuse can also affect educational attainment.

The charity Rape Crisis estimates each rape costs society more than £76,000 with most of this spent by the health service on long term health issues faced by victims.

But only a minority of serious sexual offences committed against those aged 16 and above are reported to police and even fewer of those accused are actually convicted of the crime – only six per cent of reported rapes result in conviction.

Changes have recently been made to the criminal justice system in a bid to improve the conviction rate with the introduction of specialist rape prosecutors.

In the last four years, the Government has spent more than £10 million on supporting the victims of sexual violence, in addition to localised funding.

The Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre(RASASC) in Warrington was awarded £10,000 earlier this month to provide opportunities for survivors of rape or sexual abuse to access support sessions to improve confidence and self–esteem.

In 2007, £3 million was invested in extending the network of sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) to ensure victims receive medical care and counselling and to assist the police investigation through a forensic examination.

A SARC is planned to be built at Leighton Hospital in Crewe within the next year – this will be the first specialist rape centre in Cheshire.