When Alyssam Milano’s “No More” video went viral last week, she was forced to explain why she had chosen to have sex with her boyfriend, not just for his pleasure, but also for his to take care of his mom.
She says her boyfriend would not have sex if he did not have his mom around.
But it is not all about the sexual component, Milano explains.
He wanted to know how to have a relationship with her, too.
The video has been viewed nearly 1.7 million times and the video description, which includes a photo of Milano and her boyfriend standing in a field, has been shared over 8,500 times.
What the video doesn’t show, however, is Milano being raped.
Milano says she was raped when she was 14 and the experience changed her life.
“I never thought I would have to be in a situation where I had to share this with the world,” she says.
Milani says she feels betrayed by her boyfriend and the man who made her feel violated.
“He never treated me any different than any other woman in his life,” she said.
“And he’s the one that did that to me.
He’s going to have to deal in a way that he has no choice but to. “
That’s why he has to deal with this.
He’s going to have to deal in a way that he has no choice but to.
He is not going to stop.
He has to stop.”
While many people are still shocked to learn that sexual assault occurs in a relationship, the problem is not exclusive to relationships.
Women are sexually assaulted at much higher rates than men, according to a recent study.
About 4.2 million women and 1.6 million men were sexually assaulted in the United States in 2014, according the Violence Against Women Research and Treatment Act (VAWA), an organization focused on ending sexual violence against women.
That represents a 10 percent increase from 2014.
“We’re talking about more women than men being raped and we’re talking more women who are in intimate relationships being sexually assaulted than ever before,” said Barbara M. King, who directs the Violence against Women Research Center.
The report notes that the number of sexual assaults is also increasing, though not in the same way as the number that are reported.
In 2015, the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) reported that there were more than 2,000 rapes per 100,000 women aged 18 to 44.
“Women’s experiences of sexual violence, particularly sexual violence in relationships, are under-reported, under-recognized, and under-resourced,” the NCVC report states.
“These statistics make it harder to identify, address, and respond to the problem of sexual assault in our communities.”
According to the National Institute of Justice, the number and type of reported rapes is one of the most underreported crimes.
“In order to effectively address the problem, we need more data and resources to collect and analyze and make public the information that is available to the public,” said N.C.I.J. Director Jodie Foster.
“It’s also important that victims of sexual harassment and assault know that their voice can be heard.”
While the statistics are staggering, there is still work to be done.
“As a community, we’re all working together to prevent sexual assault,” King said.
But there are still some ways we can change the culture around sexual assault.
King recommends that women who have been sexually assaulted be educated on their rights and how to make their own decisions.
“Know the difference between consent and assault,” she advises.
“Be careful, but don’t give in.”
This story is based on the NBC 4 America Story.
NBC 4 New York, NBC New York.