Attorney
Baltimore is taking a proactive stance and encouraging rape and sexual assault victims to come forward and report their crimes. This comes in the wake of a report that the Baltimore Police Department discounted many rape reports as “unfounded.” There will be an advertising campaign designed to let victims know it is never their fault and that they need to report the crime to the police.
As reported at baltimoresun.com, residents can expect to see ads on city buses, inside local businesses, and a television commercial with Mayor Rawlings-Blake. The mayor hopes rape and sexual assault victims will see that the police can be a source of help. As it stands now, approximately 80 percent of rape and sexual assault crimes go unreported, according to TurnAround, Inc.
Unfortunately, victim support groups report receiving poor treatment from police when they try to report the crime. Baltimore Police Commissioner Bealefeld hopes to change that, according to the story. The police department now has a Sexual Assault Response Team to focus on handling and investigating rape and sexual assault crimes.
Do you think an ad campaign can be an effective way of encouraging sexual assault and rape victims to come forward about the crimes? Call our Maryland Personal Injury team today to learn more.
Koonz McKenney Johnson & DePaolis LLP
Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia Injury Attorneys
Approved by attorney Justin Beall