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The figure is a compilation of mental health care, lost wages, pregnancy, suicides and sexually transmitted diseases. That breaks down to about $1,540 per resident in Minnesota.
As part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which kicks off today, several groups have teamed up to raise awareness of the cost of sexual assault and its impact on the community.
One of the highlighted events of the week will be the 29th annual Take Back the Night rally at 6 p.m. Thursday at Windom Park.
Organized by the Women’s Resource Center and the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the rally will focus on the costs of sexual assault and raise awareness of its prevalence in the community, said Eryn Redig, the Domestic Assault Project Administrator at the Women’s Resource Center.
Although she didn’t have specific numbers, she said a recent rash of sexual assaults in the past several months has shown it’s becoming a bigger problem.
According to the Winona Police Department’s annual report released earlier this week, 15 rapes and 42 “other sex offenses” were reported in 2007. Redig said only about 20 percent of all sexual assault cases are reported to police.
“Any one case is too much as far as I’m concerned,” she said. “It’s certainly an issue in our community.”
Donna Dunn, the executive director of the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, will speak at Thursday’s rally and discuss the Department of Health report. Redig said there also will be an open-mike session, where people can share their personal stories or the stories of their friends and family affected by sexual violence.
After Dunn’s presentation, the crowd will march through the park’s surrounding neighborhoods with signs about the impact of sexual violence on the community.
Several other events are scheduled to take place through National Crime Victims’ Rights Week as well.
On Monday evening, a U.S. postal inspector will talk about the dangers of identity theft. While discussing mail fraud and other scams, he will outline ways people can protect themselves from the fastest-growing crime in the country, said Cami O’Laughlin, coordinator of Winona County Victim Services.
Winona County Attorney Chuck MacLean and Winona Police Community Liaison Officer Kevin Kearney will recap the results of last fall’s drug bust, largely fueled by the attention of neighborhood watch groups, O’Laughlin said. She said they will discuss the impact these groups have on keeping their neighborhoods safe and encourage others to join them.
At the same event Tuesday evening, victims of crime in the area will share their experiences in the criminal justice system. O’Laughlin said a woman who was a victim of a home invasion will speak as well as Winona State University athletics coaches Tom Sawyer and Connie Mettille, who were hit by a drunk driver in December 2005.
There also will be programs during the week about Winona County’s Restorative Justice Program and an online tool that informs users by phone or e-mail of when an offender has been released from jail or prison.
The public events are free and are a way to show the community what services are available in their area, O’Laughlin said.
Contact Kevin Behr at (507) 453-3524 or at kbehr@winonadailynews.com.
