April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and the Freeborn County Crime Victims’ Crisis Center is doing its best to help inform the community of the widespread problem.

One in three women and one in six men are sexually assaulted during their lifetime, according to CVCC Supervisor Rose Olmsted.

Last year, the CVCC served 47 sexual violence victims and 28 secondary victims, those who are related to the victims.

Olmsted encourages victims to contact her organization to get information about options they can pursue. Eighty-four percent of sexual assaults are committed by somebody the victim knows, which makes the victim reluctant to report the crime to the authorities, often in fear of retaliation, Olmsted points out.

In 2000, one sexual assault and 16 sexual offenses were reported to local law enforcement. In many of those instances sometimes the prosecution failed to establish a case, or was obliged to agree on pleading down the charges.

“These crimes are usually between two persons without a third-party presence and have no physical evidence,” County Attorney Craig Nelson said. Proving what happened and the parties’ intent is very difficult in order to sustain charges in most trails, Nelson added.

Olmsted emphasizes that offenders should be held accountable for their crimes, but that criminal prosecution is only one option that the CVCC offers to victims. The CVCC can also assist the civil process for a restraining order and can provide shelter along with counseling.

“Many assaults are planned by the offenders. They groom a situation where they can manipulate the victims mentally,” Olmsted said. “They are afraid of being victimized in the court, too.”

The CVCC also sponsors sexual assaults on children. A performance by high school students to teach third graders about different types of touch will be presented at 7 p.m. April 30 at the School District 241 board room at the Brookside Education Center.