Sexual assault cases involving kids nearly double in first half of 2021, CMPD says
Sexual assault cases involving children nearly doubled during the first half of 2021 over the same period a year ago, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Wednesday.
That new statistic comes a week after CMPD reported a staggering 42% increase in rapes during the same period.
At the end of June, 155 rapes were reported, up from 109 during the same period in 2020, CMPD said last week. A year ago, sexual assaults decreased 34% from the same period in 2019.
Sexual assaults are up 42%, CMPD reports. Here’s what an advocate for victims says.
Wednesday, police broke down the cases:
▪ 98 adult cases in 2021, a 21% increase from last year’s 81;
▪ 54 cases involved victims under 15 years of age, a 93% increase from last year’s 28.
Most of the reported juvenile cases involve family members or acquaintances, police Sgt. Allison Brooks said at the department’s weekly news conference. About 10% of the cases involve strangers, police said.
Police have made arrests in 15 cases, Brooks said. Another 15 were reported in 2021 but didn’t happen this year, and three assaults were reported in Charlotte but didn’t happen in the city, she said.
Delayed reporting of sexual assaults has been consistent over the past three years, Brooks said.
“A survivor can report at any point,” she said. “We had one the other day (reported) 20 years later.”
Brooks said she did not know how many reported juvenile cases were delayed.
Child assault cases
In the past four months, Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center has received an unprecedented number of referrals involving sexual assault, domestic violence, physical abuse, and even trafficking of children, Andrew Oliver, the center’s chief executive officer, told the Observer.
Pat’s Place conducts forensic interviews with abused children and finds them resources for mental and physical treatment.
There’s been been a 74% increase in interview volume in March-June compared to the same period last year, Oliver said. The center is now averaging 60 forensic interviews per month, putting them on pace to conduct more than 720 this year.
Early last month, CMPD said there were 31 sexual assault cases involving children, a 210% increase when compared to the 10 total reported in 2020.
Sexual assault, domestic violence resources
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 (SAFE), live chat is also available
Safe Alliance Hope Line: 980-771-4673 (español: 980-771-4673)
National Teen Dating Violence Hotline: (ages 13-18) 866-331-9474 TEXT Love Is to 22522
Mecklenburg County Community Support Services: 704-336-3210
North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence: 919-956-9124
Atrium Domestic Violence Healthcare Project: 704-446-3999
