TOPEKA, Kan. - Rape is the only violent crime to have increased during the first half of 2004, the FBI reported this week.
Among the violent crimes of murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault reported to nearly 11,000 U.S. law enforcement agencies, rape was the only one to increase from January - June when compared to data from the same period in 2003, according to the FBI's Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report. The final report will be released in late 2005.1
This increase is in stark contrast to the decreases across the board in murders (-5.7%), robberies (-5%) and aggravated assaults (-0.9%).
The report doesn't surprise Kansas advocates working to end rape and other forms of sexual violence.
"We see this increase confirmed in the number of people that we are serving in Wichita," said Kathy Williams, Executive Director of the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center.
"It is overwhelming to look at the number of people that are reporting and know that for each person reporting, there are at least five more who do not report," said Williams, referring to statistics demonstrating that 70-84% of all rapes are not reported to law enforcement.2
In 2003, 1,133 rapes were reported to law enforcement in Kansas,3 but because of the underreporting of rape, the number of rapes in Kansas is more likely to be between 3,500 and 7,500, according to Sandy Barnett, Executive Director of the Topeka-based Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.
Barnett said it is important to remember that these government reports don't fully reflect the sexual violence against women in Kansas.
"We need to be clear that both the FBI and KBI reports don't include all crimes of sexual violence," said Barnett, referring to the fact that the reports include only incidents of reported rapes.
"If we include other sexual crimes such as incest and sexual battery, then the number would be several times greater than seventy-five hundred," Barnett said.
Sexual violence is the focus of KCSDV's second annual Safe Homes, Safe Streets event at the state capitol on February 10, 2005. This year's theme is "Putting the Spotlight on Sexual Violence" and Governor Sebelius, former Kansas Attorney General Bob Stephan, and Megan Bushell, Miss Kansas 2004, will be speakers. Keynote speaker is former NFL quarterback Don McPherson, who leads a movement challenging men to take responsibility for inappropriate and abusive behavior. For more information visit http://kcsdv.org/shss.html or contact Sarah Morrison, Kim Pentico or Laurie Harrison (media only) at 785-232-9784.
KCSDV is a statewide network of domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy programs whose primary goals are safety, accountability, and justice. KCSDV's 30 member programs provide support and safety to the victims of battering and sexual assault through direct services. KCSDV works to support these programs by increasing public awareness through education and advocacy, exploring new options for services and funding, and by working for social change. For more information, visit www.kcsdv.org.
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