Alaska Facts
Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Sexual Abuse
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- The 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS) life time estimates, specific to Alaskan women are:
- 58% have experienced intimate partner or sexual violence.
- 47.6% have experienced intimate partner violence.
- 37.1% have experienced sexual violence.
- 70% of ALL reported sexual crimes in the United States involve children (U.S. Department of Justice).
- Victims of childhood sexual abuse are more likely to suffer from obesity, heart disease, and engage in destructive behaviors with drugs and alcohol (Adverse Childhood Experiences - ACE study).
- In FY 2010, 41% of the cases seen at Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) in Alaska were ages 0-6, 36% were
ages 7-12, and 23% were ages 13-18 (Alaska Children’s Alliance - ACA). - In FY 2010, Alaska CACs saw a total of 1,694 children (ACA).
- In FY 2010, 35% of the cases seen at Alaska CACs were boys (ACA).
- Between calendar years 2001-2011, the Alaska State Troopers (AST) responded to and/or investigated 40,796 domestic violence offenses (DPS).
- Between calendar years 2001-2011, AST responded to 5,484 sexual abuse of a minor offenses (DPS).
- Between calendar years 2001-2011, AST responded to and/or investigated 4,483 sexual assault offenses (DPS).
- 303 (29%) of the victims of sex crimes in AST reports were 13-15 years old, and 74% were less than 18 years old (UAA, Justice Center and AST 2003/2004 study).
- The most common age combinations in sex crimes cases: victims were 0-12 years old, suspects were 31 or older (UAA, Justice Center and AST 2003/2004 study).
- The most common relationship between victim and a suspect in sex crime cases is friend or acquaintance (UAA, Justice Center).
- A child was present in 43% of assaults involving domestic violence reported to AST (2004). In addition, 26.4% of eyewitnesses were under the age of 18 (no difference between being present and being an eyewitness) (UAA, Justice Center).
- More than 90% of abusers are people children know, love, and trust (Darkness to Light).
- There are 39 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America (Darkness to Light).
- There are currently 699 sex offenders (registerable and non-registerable) in the custody of Department of Corrections (DOC), and there are an additional 654 who are on supervised probation (DOC).
- During calendar year 2010, 17% of submissions given to the State crime lab were related to sex crimes (DPS).
- From 2003 to 2010, the average rate of reported forcible rape was:
- 2.5 times higher in Alaska than nationally.
- 2.6 times higher in Anchorage than nationally.
- 4.5 times higher in Fairbanks than nationally (Uniform Crime Report).
- 4.8% of Alaska-resident women who delivered a live born infant in 2010 reported physical abuse* by husband or partner during the 12 months prior to pregnancy and 4% of mothers of newborns reported physical abuse* by husband or partner during pregnancy. *Includes being pushed, hit, slapped, kicked, choked, or being physically hurt in any other way (Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 2010).
- In the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Alaska high school students:
- 12% reported that they were hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend during the past 12 months.
- 9.2% reported that they had been physically forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want it (HSS).
- The number of shelter nights increased by 5.1% between FY 2010 and FY 2011, with 91,357 shelter nights provided to victims of abuse (Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault - CDVSA Annual Report).
- On September 15, 2011, all of the identified domestic violence programs in Alaska participated in the 2011 National Census of Domestic Violence Services. The figures below represent the information provided by 19 participating programs about services provided during the 24-hour survey period. The results of the
survey include the following:
- 565 victims served in one day.
- 363 domestic violence victims found refuge in emergency shelters or transitional housing provided by local domestic violence programs.
- 202 adults and children received non-residential assistance and services, including individual counseling, legal advocacy, and children’s support groups.
- 92 hotline calls answered (Alaska Network on Domestic Violece and Sexual Assault - ANDVSA).
- In FY 2010, the ANDVSA Pro Bono Program received 293 applications, and they were able to provide services for 90 of the applicants. In 2009, Alaska Legal Services statewide served 427 victims of domestic violence and sexual assault but were unable to serve another 550 applicants.
- In 2010, the age-adjusted rate of serious violent victimization (rape/sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault) was 16 per 1,000 persons with disabilities, compared to 5 per 1,000 for person without disabilities (2008-2010 Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Crime Against Persons with Disabilities).
- In 2010, among the disability types measured, persons with cognitive disabilities had the highest rate of violent victimization (30 per 1000) (2008-2010 Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Crime Against Persons with Disabilities).
- In 2010, persons with disabilities (40%) were more likely than persons without disabilities (31%) to be attacked by persons well known to them or who were casual acquaintances of the victim (2008-2010 Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Crime Against Persons with Disabilities).
