Adult Sexual Assault
RAPE RESPONSE HOTLINE: (559) 732-7273
EMOTIONAL NEES AND DEMANDS OF VICTIMS
Sexual assault cases, as a class of cases, are the most difficult cases to prosecute due to the limited evidence inherent in sexual assault, the attitudes of the community and the great emotional needs and demands of victims.
F.B.I. CALCULATIONS
Statistics indicate one out of six women will be raped in a lifetime. Yet, those charged with compiling these figures agree that rape statistics are unreliable because many victims will not ever report the crime. According to F.B.I. calculations, between four in five victims fail to report the crime of rape. More extensive studies conducted indicate that one in 10 rapes is reported.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS
A major purpose for creating the Rape Sexual Assault Prosecutor position in the Family Protection Unit of the Office of the District Attorney is to alleviate or eliminate the fear for a “survivor” of rape. In addition to increasing the number of rapes reported in Tulare County, through community awareness and education, the rape prosecutor also aggressively prosecutes those sexual assault cases that are reported. Although it is recognized that no one can force a “survivor” of rape to report the crime, it is also noteworthy that one of the main reasons given for not reporting the crime was an ignorance about the resources available to victims.
VICTIM’S PROGRAM
To ensure that this goal will be accomplished, the Sexual Assault Response Team has been developed between the rape prosecutor, Rape Crisis, the law enforcement community, the medical community which conducts the sexual assault exams, and the Victim’s Program of the Office of the District Attorney.