• 11
  • August
    2010

The Dallas Police Department is currently dealing with a substantial rise in the number of sexual assaults reported this year. Through the end of July, the department reported 333 sexual assaults. At the same time last year, the department reported 258 sexual assaults.

What's behind this increase of more than 25 percent in the number of sexual assaults?

The early theory (law enforcement officials are still examining the data) seems to be that half of the reported cases involve two common factors: alcohol and people who are already acquainted with one another (i.e., dates, social outings with friends).

Dallas police are responding to this perceived trend by launching a public awareness campaign designed to alert potential victims of the dangers posed by excessive drinking.

"We're needing to create a message to the victims of these types of crimes on a prevention kind of component related to first date, second date, someone you don't know that well. You're at a club, you had a little bit too much to drink, have your friends or someone help watch you or maybe have someone that doesn't drink in the group," said Dallas Police Chief David Brown at a recent City Council Public Safety Committee.

While victim advocacy groups generally support the move by Dallas police, many believe the message of the public awareness campaign needs to be broadened to include a message to potential offenders.

"My message would be more to the men that you have to have consent and silence does not mean consent. If she's drunk, she can't give you consent because she's not all there. She doesn't have the capacity to give you consent," said Jana Barker, executive director of the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center.

The large number of reported sexual assaults is surprising given the steady decline over the last few years.

• In 2006, there were 665 reported sexual assaults
• In 2007, there were 511 reported sexual assaults
• In 2008, there were 499 reported sexual assaults
• In 2009, there were 485 reported sexual assaults

Stay tuned for further legal developments in the area of sexual assault ...

Related Resources:

• Increase in Reported Sexual Assaults in Dallas Raises Concerns  (Dallas Morning News)