Study sought in preventing sexual assaults in Oklahoma

Thursday, November 17th 2005, 6:31 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A state lawmaker is calling for a legislative task force to study how the state can be more effective in preventing sexual assault and providing crisis services to victims.

Representative Sue Tibbs of Tulsa says there as many as 15,000 unreported rapes and sexual assaults in Oklahoma each year.

The 2003 Uniform Crime Report listed 1,501 reports of rape in the state. But sexual assault and rape crisis service experts say only one in ten rapes and sexual assaults are actually reported.

Tibbs says many women are unwilling to put themselves through the embarrassment and social stigma that comes with being raped.

The task force would determine if additional revenue is needed for crisis rape centers and shelters that aid victims of sexual assault.