The urgency of raising awareness of sexual assault was underlined as a key issue several times Thursday as dozens of people attended a packed panel discussion at the La Plata County Fairgrounds.
Led by Maura Doherty-Demko, director of Sexual Assault Services Organization, the panelists for “Sexual Violence in La Plata: Current policies and practices that support our community” were a veritable “who’s who” of locals professionally invested in preventing sexual assaults. They included Christian Champagne, assistant district attorney of the 6th Judicial District; sexual assault nurse examiner Allie Anderson; Fort Lewis College’s Title IX coordinator Molly Wieser; Charles Schwaebe, supervisor of sex-offender probation in La Plata County; Lt. Ed Phippen of the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office; Sgt. Deck Shaline of Durango Police Department; and 6th Judicial District outreach coordinator Misty Fowlds.
Doherty-Demko said reports of sexual assault were down significantly in comparison with last year – a sign that victims’ knowledge of the paths available to them and their faith they will be listened to is diminishing.
Wieser said her goal was to get the rate at which sexual assaults are reported way up.
Asked whether they would encourage their daughters and sons to press charges against someone who sexually assaulted them, many panelists said it was a tough call, given the cruelties the legal system too often visits on victims.
Anderson said though she would support whatever decision her child made, “my guidance as a parent might not be toward prosecution, since that process is long and drawn out.” But, she said, she would also encourage her hypothetical child to undergo an examination by a sexual assault nurse, or SANE nurse, and report – at a minimum – the person’s name and the place the assault took place. She encourage this even if the report was made anonymously, because this allows police to identify repeat perpetrators who offend in different areas.
“We never force any victim to go to court,” Champagne said.
But, he added, “some people follow through with prosecution, and at the end, they feel greatly empowered – strong and proud of themselves. In these situations, getting a conviction isn’t the most important thing. It’s taking control and calling out what happened – but it takes the right kind of person to go to trial, because court can be really challenging – ugly at times – and we have to fight against that.”
cmcallister@durangoherald.com
