Misleading: Biden Comments on Rape

Biden was likely referencing a 2002 David Lisak study that questioned nearly 2,000 random men walking across a college campus. Of those men, 76 were found to be “repeat rapists” who “each committed an average of six rapes and/or attempted rapes and an average of 14 interpersonally violent acts.”

However, the study is thought by many to be flawed. Lisak repurposed data from different studies and is believed by some to have misinterpreted or even invented his findings.

Misbar's investigation found that most people who rape are unlikely to self-identify or self-report; and some rapists are even unaware that they have committed rape due to a grave misunderstanding of sexual consent, so the actual number of repeat offenders may never be really known. However, a 2020 study of DNA in rape databases found that the average rapist commits around 2 rapes. Of course, this data relies on victims reporting their rape (when around 60% of rapes are not reported), conducting a rape kit (what many find to be an invasive, traumatic procedure), and that rape kit not getting lost or degraded (as happens surprisingly often). This means that it is by no means indicative of how much the average rapist rapes.

Although we may never know accurate rape statistics, since the Lisak study is controversial and other studies seem to indicate that the average rapist rapes less than six times, we rate this claim as misleading.