Number Of Reported Rape Cases Hits 20-Year Low

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 09 Oct 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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The number of rapes reported to federal authorities is at a 20-year low, a trend victims' advocates and crime researchers attribute to increased awareness, better DNA testing and improved collaboration between women and authorities, USA Today reports. According to FBI, the number of reported rape cases in 2008 declined to 89,000, or 29 women per 100,000 people, from 109,062 reported cases, or 43 women per 100,000 people, in 1992. Data for 2009 are not yet available, according to USA Today.

In 1994, passage of the federal Violence Against Women Act provided $1.6 billion to aid rape prosecutions. "The level of interest and professionalism dealing with sexual assault cases increased as a result," according to Scott Berkowitz, president of the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Berkowitz noted that perceptions about rape have changed since the late 1970s and early 1980s, when high schools and colleges began running public awareness campaigns. "There is a much greater understanding that this is a crime," he said, adding that his group has found women today are more likely to report rape.

Michael Males, senior researcher for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, said, "We have seen reform in how police work with victims, gather evidence and investigate rape; we've seen increased awareness of the crime, and we've seen better prosecution." He added, "Hospitals now have rape kits that they didn't have 40 years ago," which make it easier to gather evidence of a crime, such as the attacker's DNA. Kim Gandy, past president of the National Organization for Women and a former prosecutor, said that DNA testing has aided convictions because prosecutors no longer have to rely solely on rape survivors' testimony.

Berkowitz cautioned that although the decline is encouraging, "we've still got a long way to go." He said, "We need to encourage more victims to report to police and guarantee that when they do report, the case is properly investigated" (Leinwand, USA Today, 10/6).

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