Anchorage Daily News

For 10 years in a row, Alaska has had the highest rate of forcible rape in the nation.

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Horrific numbers, repeated year after year.

The danger is that we get numb to the numbers.

Alaska cannot do that, not if we're to reverse the ravages of sexual assault and sexual abuse of children that blight lives for years and over generations.

Col. Audie Holloway, commander of the Alaska State Troopers, minces no words:

"Sexual violence is currently the greatest criminal problem facing Alaska," he said. "What we are doing is not working."

Col. Holloway spoke in introducing a presentation by Dr. Andre Rosay of the UAA Justice Center on sex crime incidents reported to troopers in 2003 and 2004.

Two striking results of the justice center's analysis:

• Alcohol was not involved in a majority of the incidents reported. That may give the lie to the oft-accepted notion that alcohol fires much of the sexual violence in the Bush, or in other parts of Alaska. Katherine TePas of the troopers, who coordinated the study, said thinking may have to change -- alcohol may be more accurately seen as a contributing factor to sexual violence, not its cause.

• Much of the sexual violence reported involved child victims and adult perpetrators. While this isn't news to those familiar with Alaska sex crimes, the hard numbers surprised even veteran researchers like Dr. Rosay.

The troopers backed the study for reasons "simple and honorable," as Col. Holloway said. They want to improve troopers' response to sex crimes for the sake of victims and the community, and they want more perpetrators convicted.

How to do it?

"It's complicated," he said.

In some ways, Alaskans know what to do, if not exactly how: Focus more resources on sex crimes, in law enforcement, education and prevention. Send an unequivocal message to victims: We believe you, and the shame here is not yours but the perpetrators'. Send an unequivocal message to offenders: We know you, we'll arrest and prosecute you, and if you're guilty you'll go to prison.

And communities -- especially small communities in Bush Alaska -- often know what's going on in their homes. Too often, shame and pressure not to pursue justice where most everyone is related by blood or marriage overcome the will to report. Add to that the trauma of reporting, of undergoing a physical exam, of providing evidence, and the need for victims to have good people on their side is clear. Communities, especially remote communities, have to stand up for victims and against perpetrators, no matter how difficult.

"We have to create safety" for victims, Ms. TePas said. "You are not gonna be judged, you will be believed."

Ms. TePas noted that while attitudes have changed for children and sex crimes, "we still tend to blame the adult victim." That needs to change too.

Col. Holloway said he hopes to win approval for a pilot program that would focus resources "in such magnitude that victims, perpetrators and the community saw immediate reaction." That's one place to start.

Alaskans need to stand up against sexual violence in their attitudes, behavior and in support for law enforcement, prosecution, treatment, prevention and education. Pushing back this darkness can't happen on just one front.

BOTTOM LINE: This latest report on sexual violence in Alaska shouldn't fetch just a headline, but a real determination to help victims, stop predators and prevent more of the same.

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