The Sexual Assault Survivors' Task Force released their biennial report on Wednesday, ahead of the legislative session set to convene in January in Austin.
In it, the group said that Texas continues to lack an adequate system for reporting sexual assaults in the state, so that data may be shared among groups statewide. A system would also help officials get a better idea of the actual scope of the problem, the report said. They pointed to several issues with the way law enforcement groups file, categorize and adjudicate sexual assault cases, and said that may be contributing to the already small number of victims who report sexual assaults when the occur.
They aren't alone in thinking that either. Rose Luna is the CEO of the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault said 1 in 4 men and 2 in 5 women will become a victim of sexual assault at some point in their lifetimes. However, she believes that because there's no good way to track punishments for the crime, a little over 90% never report the crime to police. "Of those that report, less than 7% make it all the way through," Luna said. "And most of those are pled out."
Luna said that adequately tracking cases would give victims hope when they do come forward to police. "We all want accountability, but more importantly we want survivors to be believed. We want survivors to be heard and to be respected throughout that process."
Interestingly, the report is the second time that a state task force has recommended an overhaul of how Texas files and categorizes sexual assaults. In June 2015, Governor Abbott signed HB2455, passed during the 84th Legislature. The measure called for the creation of a task force, to "promote uniformity in the collection and reporting of information relating to family violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking." The report pointed out, however, that was never completed.
The Sexual Assault Survivors' Task Force was created during the 86th Texas Legislative Session. It's a group that "seeks to establish a survivor-centered, trauma-informed, collaborative, and coordinated response to sexual violence experienced by adults and children in Texas." Members meet several times per year, and they release recommendations to lawmakers ahead of each legislative session.
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