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Sexual Assault Fought in S.C. with Education, Reporting

Sexaual assault awareness and prevention efforts extend into the military. This T-shirt was on display during a Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month event at Kandahar Airfield in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013.
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ashley Bell

The instance of sexual assault in the United States is growing at a rate that would surprise, even alarm, many people.  According to Shannon Nix, associate director of sexual assault and violence intervention and prevention at the University of South Carolina, one in four women - and one in six men – will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lives.   This high number doesn’t mean more assaults are happening, however.  Nix said it seems that way because more people are reporting it. 

That’s a good thing, according to Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, who is most concerned about the crimes that are not reported, as he says non-reporting is the biggest hindrance to preventing assault.  There’s a continuum of degrees of sexual assault that stretches from lesser offenses like cat calling all the way to rape.   Education about things like how to make good decisions and being aware of one’s surroundings is the key to reducing sexual assault, said the sheriff, adding that educating oneself can help reduce many of the problems that law enforcement is called to deal with in today’s society.   

Tut Underwood is producer of South Carolina Focus, a weekly news feature. A native of Alabama, Tut graduated from Auburn University with a BA in Speech Communication. He worked in radio in his hometown before moving to Columbia where he received a Master of Mass Communications degree from the University of South Carolina, and worked for local radio while pursuing his degree. He also worked in television. He was employed as a public information specialist for USC, and became Director of Public Information and Marketing for the South Carolina State Museum. His hobbies include reading, listening to music in a variety of styles and collecting movies and old time radio programs.