Columbus was ranked among other large cities as having one of the highest rape statistics in the country, according to a FBI report.
“The last two years have been very uncommon,” said Sherry Mercurio, spokeswoman for the Columbus Division of Police. The normal ratio is one suspect to one victim. However, with the recent accounts of serial rapists, the ratio has changed to one suspect and many victims, she said.
Mercurio believes the reason for the high rate of sexual assault in Columbus is because there is a high reporting rate here.
“People are far more comfortable reporting crimes to us,” she said. “Women know it’s going to be taken seriously.”
Deborah Schipper, coordinator of the Rape Education and Prevention Program (REPP) at Ohio State, said comparing statistics among cities is not useful.
“In my opinion, to compare rape rates, from city to city, is not productive,” she said. “You are never talking about the actual number of rapes, only those rapes which were reported to the police, and which they believed, or judged to be founded.”
“To try to draw conclusions about dangerous cities and less dangerous cities is meaningless to women who must be aware of the potential for sexual violence at all times, in all cities, and in all situations,” Schipper said.
She agrees the reason for the high statistic in Columbus might be related to the better support systems offered here, Schipper said.
“There may be reasons for the high rate of reported rapes in Columbus, one of which could be good support systems for victims at the emergency room, in the police station, in the prosecutor’s office, and in the courts,” she said.
“What we know is that the majority of rapes are not reported,” said Karen Taylor, associate director of Counseling and Consultation Services at OSU.
Counseling and Consultation Services offer assistance to enrolled OSU students.
“We deal with a lot of survivors,” she said. They provide outreach programs to the campus community.
Taylor said she does not know if violence is a very important concern for all and, whether Columbus just has better resources or, is a frightening city. Making sure violence declines is a very important concern for all, she said.
