West Valley City Police “Start by Believing” Campaign Against Sexual Assault
West Valley City – April 2, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and West Valley Mayor Ron Bigelow and Police Chief Lee Russo started the month off by signing a proclamation showing the city’s support for sexual assault survivors.
The #StartByBelieving campaign was started by End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) and is designed to improve outcomes for sexual assault survivors and set a precedence for other cities as well that sexual assault victims are not to blame. The Start by Believing campaign focuses on each of our individual responses. Often a friend or family member is typically the first person a victim confides in after an assault.
When West Valley City Police Chief Lee Russo attended a sexual assault conference at the beginning of 2015, he heard about the campaign and after doing more research he knew it was exactly what his city needed.
“By supporting the victim further and responding correctly when they come forward allows them to feel confident in reporting the crime. In doing this we in return get more victims to file a report and are able to obtain better information from the victims about the perpetrator. That strongly helps us to identify them, get them off the streets and protect our community.” Said Russo.
He further stated that knowing how to respond is critical, a negative response can worsen the trauma and the victim may never come forward to law enforcement. Often whomever the victim first confides in can change the dynamic of how they react. If the response is in a way that makes them feel doubted, shameful or to blame, they will not report the crime.
Based on the West Valley City police department website, the goal is to “change the outcome of victims one response at a time.”
“Our vision is to end the cycle of repeat offenses and assure that rapists are held accountable for their crimes.” said Russo. They are asking for the community to join them, and transform this vision to reality.
West Valley City Police Department is the first city to start the campaign in Utah and it was then brought to the city where the Mayor agreed it needed to be implemented as a whole. Chief Russo has already taken the campaign to the Governor of Utah where he signed the bill to in act the “Start by Believing” into a statewide movement.
The proclamation, which was drawn up by Chief Russo, was signed yesterday by both Mayor Bigelow and Chief Russo. It reports that in 2014 they investigated 116 reported rapes within the city and that research estimates 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men are the victims of rape as per the Center for Disease Control, 2012 summary report.
It further stated that they are dedicated to changing the way they respond to rape and sexual assault and to pave the way for survivors to achieve justice and healing, so the decision to come forward and seek help is a safe one.
The proclamation goes on to say that victims suffer added negatives effects on their on their physical and psychological well-being and the “Start by Believing” public awareness campaign is designed to improve more positive and supporting responses from friends, family members and community professionals so victims can be better helped and supported by resources and the criminal justice system.
For more information on the national campaign you can visit www.startbybelieving.org.
