Newly released crime numbers from the Maine Department of Public Safety show that although crime decreased overall, reports of rape were up 17 percent between 2016 and 2017.
The annual "Crime in Maine" statistics say there were 448 rapes reported in 2017 vs. 383 rape cases in 2016. This is the third year that reported rape incidents have gone up.
Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) Communications Director Cara Courchesne says that the increase is likely due to an increase in reporting, rather than an increase in assaults. But she says this is "just the tip of the iceberg" since sexual assault is consistently the most underreported crime in the United States.
In a press release, MECASA says an estimate from the Muskie School of Public Service, using MECASA survey data, finds the actual number of Mainers who experience sexual assault is likely about 14,000 per year. In the release, Courchesne says sexual assault experts "cautiously credit" the #MeToo movement for the increase in people who feel "compelled to tell their stories."
Sexual assault reporting numbers can also be complicated, as many people report their assaults years or decades after they happen. But Courchesne says those reports, whenever they happen, represent "an amazing amount of courage on behalf of victims."
Courchesne says that if people choose to report an assault immediately, the organization recommends they have an advocate for survivors of sexual assault with them when they're interviewed by police because "those interviews tend to be traumatic."
People who have experienced sexual assault or who know someone who has, can call or text the Maine Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-871-7741. They can also chat on the help line by going to MECASA's website.
Updated 2:34 p.m.
