Editor:
The Maine Department of Public Safety recently released their “Crime in Maine” report for 2007. For the third year in a row, there was an increase in the number of rapes reported to police in Maine; up by more than 15 percent from 2006.
While this data is helpful in demonstrating how many females over 18 decide to report their assaults to police, the numbers are limiting when we try to gauge the prevalence of the crime. We can, however, look to a 2007 study conducted by the Muskie School of Public Service, which revealed that 1 in 5 Maine residents report having been a victim or rape or attempted rape in their lifetime.
The increase in reports to police combined with the number of Mainers who have experienced this devastating crime provide ample reason for all of us to do more to prevent this violence from occurring in the first place. Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine (SARSSM) urges everyone to learn more about the many ways you can be part of the solution. It can be as simple as speaking out to dispel myths about victims and perpetrators, visiting our Web site at www.sarsonline.org to become more educated about the issues or offering your time as a volunteer. If enough people take a stand against sexual violence, perhaps a day will come when there are no sexual assaults reported to police simply because no sexual violence occurred. 
Cyndi Amato, Executive Director
Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern
Maine