Report says rape numbers declining

By Jenni Yachnin
Daily Staff Reporter

The rate of rape among women nationwide has dropped 10 percent since 1990, according to a Department of Justice report released in February.

But contrary to the national statistics, the University has seen an all-time high this year in rape reports.

"While the numbers are lower, I'm not sure if that gives the number of actual cases out there," said Joyce Wright, prevention and education coordinator with the University's Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. "In the last few years, people have been more reluctant to come forward. The numbers are still relatively high here at U of M."

Wright attributes the reported rape increase to the general increase in crime, including murders, assaults and robberies.

"(SAPAC) has been in existence for 10 years and since the last academic year, this is the highest number of cases we've seen coming through the door," Wright said.

A Bureau of Justice Statistics spokesperson said the national statistics on the rate of rape came from the National Crime Victim Survey.

"It's the second-largest house survey in the country," he said. "We go to 39,000 households and talk to 100,000 residents."

The report, "Sex Offenses and Offenders," compiled more than two dozen statistics programs maintained by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. It is the first national estimate of the amount of convicted sex offenders under the jurisdiction of federal, state and local correctional authorities.

"There is nothing unusual in these surveys. They do them all the time," Wright said. "On one hand, in the 10-year period rapes have decreased, the number of rapists have gone up."

The report states that 97,000 rapes were reported to law enforcement agencies in 1995, the lowest per capita since 1985.

While BJS did not comment on the significance of their findings, University students are skeptical about the drop.

LSA junior Anne Kelterborn said that even if the number of reported rapes has gone down, the incidents themselves haven't slowed. "I question the reported rapes," Kelterborn said. "It doesn't mean rape itself has fallen. As far as the U of M community, it's still a problem that needs to be addressed."

Wright said the cause of high-incident reports relates to either available survivor information or a strong support program. She said many of the victims who come to SAPAC don't necessarily go to the police.

"We have more survivors coming forward than ever before," Wright said. "The type of cases we see coming to SAPAC can be from before they came to campus."

While Ann Arbor Police Department Sgt. Larry Jerue said he also questions the numbers, he said that the drop in reported rapes might be a reflection of state legislation made in favor of victims.

"(The) Criminal Sexual Conduct Act deals severely with the way the defending attorney can cross examine the witness," Jerue said. "Under this law, the defense can no longer bring up the victims' past or infer things that can hurt the victim." 09-03-97