April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and two people who respond to sexual assault cases in Washington County want to clear up falsehoods and help victims.

Washington County Attorney John Gish says topics of sexual assault and child abuse are very important to his office, and he feels it requires greater education for the community, “Most of the abusers, most of the defendants in Washington County are not strangers in dark alleys. They are usually relatives or close family friends and weapons are not used. It’s threats, coercion, or alcohol or drugs or a combination of those elements are usually what we see.”

Rape Victim Advocacy Program (RVAP) Rural County Services Coordinator Deanna Hansen works with victims in Washington County, and she mentions how sexual assault cases are largely under represented, “Only about 25% of cases are ever reported to law enforcement. It’s a very low number. So that’s 75% of cases never even go to law enforcement so they never even get to a county attorney so they never even really get to me. People can come to me but most of the time I get my referrals through law enforcement and through the county attorney’s office.”

RVAP provides free, confidential, and trauma-informed services to anyone directly or indirectly impacted by sexual violence in an eight-county region including Washington, Johnson, Henry and Iowa. Their support includes a 24-hour crisis line; advocacy for survivors engaging in medical, legal, and academic responses to violence and reporting assault; and emergency financial assistance and housing advocacy. You can find more information on their resources here.