La Voz

Recently, a woman reported to police she had been raped last winter by the same members of De Anza's baseball team who are accused of raping a 17-year-old girl on March 3.

With this information, both alleged victims have a stronger case than if only one woman had come forward.

Whenever allegations exist, the case may become a situation of one person's word against another's.

But when victims come forward and take a stand against their injustices, they benefit themselves as well as others.

Sexual assault is known as the "silent epidemic" because fewer than half of the cases are reported to the police, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. In fact, the number may be as low as 16 percent, according to the National Center for Victims of Crime in their study "Rape of America: A Report to the Nation."

Victims don't report sexual assault for many reasons. They include embarrassment, or the victim was under the influence or alcohol or drugs, knows the offender, or fears repercussions.

"The media is now bringing more light [on the topic] by letting victims know that no matter what they were doing, how they were doing it, the clothes they were wearing, the environment they're in, that [rape] is still not their fault," said Licia Johnson, a De Anza health educator.

This is especially true for young women, because sexual assault is more common among college-age students than any other age group.

"College women are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted than any other age group," said Scott Berkowitz, president and founder of Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network on the RAINN Web site.

One reason why college women are more susceptible to sexual abuse is because many college students drink.

Seventy-five percent of males and 50 percent of females involved in college campus non-stranger rapes were drinking when the rape took place, according to the authors of "Sexual Assault on Campus: The Problem and the Solution."

No matter what the situation, reporting sexual abuse to authorities can prevent the attacker from harming others in the future, and help encourage other victims to report their cases.

If you or a friend is a victim of sexual abuse, don't hesitate to call the police or the RAINN hotline at 1-800- 656-HOPE any time.

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