Sexual Assaults prevalent in Maverick County, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
Sexual assaults and violence is a serious criminal offense in both Maverick County and in the United States. A review of sexual assaults in Maverick County, Texas by the Eagle Pass Business Journal reflects they are prevalent within our community.
In the United States, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 59 men have been raped in their lifetime. The City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County are in not immune to sexual assaults in the community.
An Eagle Pass Business Journal review of both the City of Eagle Pass Police Department and Maverick County Sheriff’s Department monthly crime reports found that there were a total of 50 sexual assault cases reported during a 26 months period between January 1, 2014 through April 1, 2016, reflecting an average of at least two sexual assaults reported per month in Maverick County.
Eagle Pass Police Chief Alberto Guajardo noted that many sexual assaults are not reported by citizens for fear of being retaliated by the aggressor, the victim usually knows their aggressor, social stigma of being a sexual assault victim, and the lack of resources available to handle and advise the victims within the community.
According to the City of Eagle Pass Police Department monthly crime reports during January 1, 2014 through March 24, 2015, a total of 24 sexual assault cases were reported to the Eagle Pass Police Department.
According to the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department monthly arrest logs, a total of three sexual assault arrests were reported during January 17, 2014 through April 1, 2015. Two of these arrests were for aggravated sexual assault on a child.
A review of the past 12 months from April 1, 2015 through April 1, 2016 was conducted on Eagle Pass Police and Maverick County Sheriff Department reports on sexual assault complaints and arrest. The Maverick County Sheriff’s Department monthly arrest reports show that there were three sexual assault incidents reported, including one of these involved the sexual assault of a minor child.
Eagle Pass Police Department monthly crime reports for the past 12 months show a total of 20 sexual assault and five indecency with a child incidents reported and investigated from March 24 , 2015 to March 31 , 2016.
The Maverick County Sheriff’s Department statistics only shows arrests. It is unclear how many complaints there have been of sexual assaults in the Maverick County during the past 14 months as the Sheriff’s Department only reports actual arrests. Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber was unavailable for comment on the subject matter.
Eagle Pass Police Department Chief Alberto Guajardo requested all victims of sexual assaults to report them to the Eagle Pass Police Department, Maverick County Sheriff’s Department, or the Kickapoo Tribal Police Department.
Chief Guajardo stated that the Eagle Pass Police Department can only investigate cases that are actually reported to them, not unreported incidents. Obviously, the sexual assault problem is much larger in the community than what the monthly reports indicate because many of these sexual assaults go unreported by victims.
Many victims do not disclose sexual violence. Statistics underestimate the problem because many victims do not tell the police, family, or friends about the violence. Sexual violence is any sexual activity where consent is not freely given. This includes completed or attempted penetration of a victim or attempts to make a victim penetrate a perpetrator against the victim’s will or against a victim who is unable to consent.
Sexual violence also includes Unwanted sexual contact and/or Non-contact unwanted sexual experiences (such as verbal sexual harassment). Sexual violence can be committed by anyone: a current or former intimate partner; a family member; a person in position of power or trust; a friend or acquaintance; a stranger, or someone known only by sight.
Sexual violence impacts health in many ways and can lead to long-term physical, psychological, psychiatric, and mental health problems. For example, victims may experience chronic pain, headaches, depression, suicidal ideations, loss of self-esteem, psychological, psychiatric, trauma, and sexually transmitted diseases. They are often fearful or anxious and may have problems trusting others. Anger and stress can lead to eating disorders, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.
Eagle Pass Police Chief Alberto Guajardo encourages all persons, adults and children, who have been sexually assaulted, stalked, harassed, or threatened to report it immediately to the Eagle Pass Police Department at (830) 773-9044 or to the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department at (830) 773-2321.
Locally, the Wintergarden Women’s Shelter provides legal counseling, temporary housing, and counseling services to sexual assault victims and their children. Please call Martha Gonzalez at (830) 757-5188. Also, the Maverick County Coalition Against Domestic Violence may be contacted for assistance at (830) 757-0600.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual violence, you may contact the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE. Help is free, confidential, and available 24/7. Get information at RAINN. Contact your local emergency services at 9-1-1.
April is dedicated as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stand up and report all sexual assault or violence cases to your law enforcement authorities. Assistance is available to your or your loved one.
