A study from the Bureau of Justice Statistics has found that sexual violence against females has declined by over 60 percent from 1995 to 2010. The study examined cases involving females ages 12 and older from 1995 to 2010. The study noted a 64 percent decline in sexual assaults. In 1995 there were 5.0 assaults per 1,000 females, in 2010 that number declined to 1.8 per 1,000. This post will explore this study and what it means in real life.
In 1995, 28 percent of sexual assaults were reported to the police. That number increased to 59 percent in 2003 before declining back down to 32 percent in 2010. While far from consistent, these numbers do indicate a steady increase in reporting by females, which is critical to reducing this crime.
Also of note, from 1994 to 1998, 47 percent of investigations resulted in an arrest. That number decreased to 31 percent between 2005 and 2010. That could reflect more effective techniques that rule out innocent suspects or it could reflect a decrease in police effectiveness.
This study again confirms what most people already know, that most sexual assault occurs between people who know one another. between 2005 and 2007, 78 percent of female victims were attacked by someone that they knew.
If you are facing charges of sexual assault then you may want to contact an attorney as soon as possible. These charges are taken very seriously by the police, prosecutor, and judge. It could result in unfair treatment by any or all three of those groups. An attorney is critical to ensuring that you get a fair trial and fair treatment. You don’t want to risk your freedom because a police officer or prosecutor decided you were guilty before your trial.
