ARCHBOLD WEATHER

Sexual Abuse Doesn’t Fit Stereotypes





A.J. Schroeder

A.J. Schroeder

(Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series on sexual abuse. This week, we look at statistics involving sexual abuse and assault cases, underreporting, and some of the grey areas.)

Many people have an idea of what sexual abuse is like.

It’s a man with greasy hair, hiding in the bushes waiting for a woman to walk past. When she does, he grabs her, drags her into an old van, and races off with her.

Reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

A.J. Schroeder, an Archbold police patrolman, said the statistics tell a much different story.

“Two thirds of rapes were committed by someone known to the victim, and 73% of all sexual assaults were perpetrated by a non-stranger.

“Of that 73%, 38% of rapists are friend or acquaintances, 28% are intimate friends, and 7% are relatives.

“Four out of ten take place in a victim’s home. Two out of ten take place in the home of a friend, neighbor, or relative. Only one in 12 take place in a parking garage, which again comes into a misconception of you’re going to get snatched away,” he said.

While the crimes of rape and sexual assault reach across all ages, they are primarily committed against younger people.

Schroeder said, “80% are under the age of 30; 44% are under the age of 18, and 29% are between the ages of 12 and 17.”

He said 15% of sexual assault victims are under the age of 12.

And sexual assault is more prevalent than one might think.

“One out of six American women have been a victim of rape, or an attempted rape, in their lifetime.”

He said, “About 3% of men have had the same experience, an attempted or complete rape in their lifetime.”

Underreported

Sexual assaults are notoriously underreported. Schroeder said it’s estimated that 60% of sexual assaults are never reported to authorities.

He said an instructor in a class for police officers and prosecutors conducted an exercise that illustrates why.

“He said, ‘Think of the last intimate time you were with your spouse or signifi- cant other. Think about the details, the touches and everything. Get that in your mind.’

“He held up the microphone, and said, ‘Now I want somebody to come down here and tell everybody about it.’

“You can imagine, no one held up their hand.

“You think about why it’s underreported. It’s very hard for a female, or even a male, to come in and talk with someone about something that’s happened in their life, let alone possibly someone of the opposite sex.”

To make the process easier, Archbold police officers utilize techniques to make the reporting process more comfortable, including the use of victim advocates.

The advocates, Schroeder said, have special training. Their job is to fight for the victim and the victim’s rights. They stay with the victim through the legal process, including any potential trial.

No, Means No

The classic movie stereotype of abduction and rape is easy enough to understand. But what about other situations?

Schroeder said simply, “No, means no.

“One act of intimacy or a sexual act could be okay; however, others may be out of line. You can have one situation where a certain act would be legally okay, and possibly okay with the victim, but the suspect can go too far.

“And you’ve got to look at, is the suspect using a drug or intoxicating the subject where they can’t make a decision, or whether they (the victim) are blacking out to the point they’re maybe not going to remember everything.

“So you have to look at not just force, but whether drugs are used. “To me, a big one is only (Continued from first page) 11% of rapes reported involved use of a weapon. So it’s not as common to use a weapon like a lot of people would think it is,” Schroeder said.

Of rapes reported where force was used against the victim, 84% reported only physical force was used, like using an arm to hold a victim down or physically overpowering the person.

“In children, most of the time, it’s not forced. In order for the suspect to get to the point of actually sexually assaulting a child, that relationship has developed over years.”

A perpetrator can invest years in molding potential child or youth victims.

They look for a child who is vulnerable or can be made vulnerable, who is accessible or can be made accessible, and lacking in credibility or be made to lack credibility.

Child sexual assault perpetrators make themselves out to be upstanding members of their communities, while at the same time, telling lies to cast doubts on a child’s credibility.

While they are molding one child, at the same time, they could be assaulting others.

“That’s why it’s so important for victims to come forward, to stop the cycle, to break the chain, where you can protect and prevent future cases,” Schroeder said.

(Next week: when and how to report a possible sexual assault.)


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