Reply #2: It helps for a public figure to "come out" like this---

[Katherine Brengle]

It certainly isn't the be-all, end-all, but it does help shine some light on a widespread problem.

In the United States, a woman is raped (whether it be by a stranger, an acquaintance, or all too often, a husband or other significant other) a minimum of every 5 minutes. In the time it will take for you to read through this thread, a woman will have been raped somewhere in our country. One every 5 minutes is the most conservative estimate available--more comprehensive studies (such as those not relying solely on law enforcement records--remember, rape is the number one underreported crime in the world) put it at closer to one every 3 minutes.

(I would love to post some more information right now, but I have work to do and it is already almost 2 am--maybe tomorrow.)