Advocacy groups: Spotlight on sexual assault long overdue

Imagine a room full of 10 women. Now imagine that three or four of those women are victims of sexual assault. It's only then one can begin to understand the magnitude of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska, said Saralyn Tabachnick, executive director of Aiding Women in Abuse and Rape Emergencies, a Juneau-based shelter.

"It's quite pervasive," she said.

The sexual assault and domestic violence problem has grown so rampant in Alaska that Gov. Sean Parnell on Thursday labeled it an epidemic when announcing an initiative to help combat the issue.

"Today we're putting domestic violence and sexual assault at the forefront," Parnell said Thursday. "We'll make it intolerable, unacceptable and the ramifications for those committing these crimes against Alaskans, unbearable."

Parnell's 10-year initiative to combat the problem has drawn praise in Juneau from victim advocacy groups, including AWARE.

"I think what the governor is doing is brilliant," said Tabachnick, adding that Parnell has gathered partners from across the state in different branches of government and in the private arena to address the problem. "Working together is what is going to make the difference."

Parnell said he will work toward legislation to curb the rates of sexual assault and domestic violence in Alaska. The initiative calls for putting abusers behind bars, protecting victims and helping them heal, and preventing abuse, according to a press release from the governor's office.

The sexual assault and domestic violence statistics in Alaska are staggering, according to officials.

• The rate of sexual assault in Alaska is two-and-a-half times the national average and the most per capita of any state.

• Alaska's rate of sexual assault of children is six times the national average.

• More than one out of three Alaska Native women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

• in 2008, 69 percent of homicides were connected to domestic or sexual violence.

The problem hasn't gotten any better in Juneau in recent years, Tabachnick said.

"We provided more shelter nights in the (fiscal year) - that's the year ending June 30 - then we have for at least the last 10 years," she said.

Juneau District Attorney Doug Gardner said a "significant" amount of the caseload his office deals with are related to sex crimes.

"At times I would say that it becomes a major part of our daily workload; dealing with the screening and preparation of those cases for either grand jury or trial," he said.

"Sex crime is one of the most serious, most time consuming parts of the prosecution work that all three prosecutors in the Juneau District Attorney's office and the Sitka District Attorney's office deal with," he added.

Gardner said he is pleased to see the issue being taken so seriously by the state's leaders.

"I have to say that I was very pleased to see that some of the biggest, most difficult issues that I think our society faces, ... the harming of people psychologically and physically, is being addressed by the attorney general and the governor."

Peggy Brown, executive director of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault, said Parnell has a background of legislation aimed at curbing the problem, including a instrumental role in the Domestic Violence Protection Order Act of 1996.

"I really do think he wants young men to be accountable for their behavior," Brown said. "He just kind of has that essence about him that this is really important to him. It's definitely long overdue."

Both Brown and Tabachnick said they are pleased with the scope of the initiative, which includes a proposal to hire 15 Village Public Safety Officers a year for the next 10 years, revamping the state crime lab and hiring a domestic violence and sexual assault prevention coordinator at the Department of Law.

The governor said he also intends to lead the charge to "dramatically increase pro bono legal services" in Alaska. Brown said she was pleased to hear that because her organization experienced a 77 percent increase in referrals for legal services since July.

"The demand has been really high, and that's just demand from people who have to go through our shelters," she said.

Now is the time for Alaskans to come together and put an end to the high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault, Brown said.

"It's embarrassing. Yes, this is an epidemic, a pandemic," she said. "We have some serious problems that need some serious people addressing them."

• Contact Eric Morrison at 523-2269 or eric.morrison@juneauempire.com.