LAKE COUNTY ? Someone is raped every 1.9 minutes, according to the Office for Victims of Crime 2008 Crime Clock, found at http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/gallery/posters.
Bringing light to the issue of sexual violence is the focus of Speak Out Day, slated for Wednesday. The theme of this year”s national sexual violence awareness day is “Shine the Light.”
“In 2008, 79 rape victims contacted our agency,” Lake Family Resource Center Rape Crisis Center Program Manager, Lee Perales said.
The number of rapes reported in Lake County is on the rise, according to Perales, but the reasons for that are unclear. She said of the crime statistics compiled by the Lake County Sheriff”s Office during the last three years, only the rate of sex crimes is increasing.
“It”s difficult to say whether that means there has been an increase in the occurrence of sex crimes or an increase in the reporting of sex crimes,” Perales said.
Of the cases reported last year, women between the ages of 25 and 59 were the most common victims, according to Perales. Women and children, younger than 24 were the victims in almost half of the cases, and children younger than 18 were the victims in 25 percent of the cases.
“No one really gets over being sexually assaulted. That”s a myth. It has an effect and an impact on people for the rest of their lives. It can be something that motivates a rape victim to move forward in their life and do something significant, but it can also be something that destroys a rape victim”s life. Much of whether it is motivational or destructive depends on the support they receive from family, friends and the community,” Perales said.
The Rape Crisis Center works with law enforcement, Lake County Victim Witness, the Lake County District Attorney”s Office and the county”s two hospitals to form the Lake County Sexual Assault Response Team. The team”s purpose is to protect victim of sexual assault and provide resources and support.
Lake County Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg, who is assigned to cases involving sex crimes, said in most cases the victim knows the perpetrator.
“Most of the time it happens among people who have some king of relationship ? a relative or a friend. Often it”s someone who lives in the same household,” Borg said.
Borg said the statute of limitations on reporting sex crimes was amended in 1994, allowing victims more time to press charges against a perpetrator. Victim Witness, a division of the Lake County District Attorney”s Office, guides victims through the reporting process and the court system.
Victim Witness can also provide financial assistance and help the victim relocate if necessary and access other services.
The Rape Crisis Hotline, 888-485-7733, is available around the clock. For more information, call the Rape Crisis Center business office toll-free at 888-777-8336.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com, or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
