Duval County

New sexual assault reporting tool will launch in June

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and a new reporting tool will make it easier for survivors to report these kinds of crimes.

The 4th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, the Women’s Center of Jacksonville (WCJ) and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office are partnering with End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) and VictimsVoice to launch this new resource, which will look like an online widget.

RESOURCES, HELP: Sexual assault awareness month

The widget will also be piloted in Adrian, Michigan, with plans to potentially launch it nationwide afterwards.

You will be able to spot it on law enforcement websites when it tentatively launches in June.

It will empower survivors to go through the process online so they feel more comfortable speaking out.

“If anyone out there is being sexually assaulted, I feel like you should tell the world. You should let them know your story,” Aryannah Bell said.

Bell and her friend, Khloe Brittain, say reporting these crimes is crucial.

“You don’t want to sit there and be depressed and sad about it when you can really talk to people,” Bell emphasized.

Brittain understands how tough this can be. Her cousin is a survivor of sexual assault.

“I know it was really, really hard for her because she was more scared at not the fact that she’s going to get in trouble, she was scared for her safety.”

According to the Women’s Center of Jacksonville, only 1 in 4 sexual assaults in Florida are reported to law enforcement. But there are efforts underway to change that.

The Beaches, for instance, have launched a sexual assault awareness campaign.

You can spot flyers with the Rape Crisis Hotline number (904-721-7273) all around the area.

The plan is for this widget to be an additional tool to report sexual assaults.

It’ll be based off the VictimsVoice app that is currently used by domestic violence survivors.

The app allows them to document and report abuse.

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Development of the widget version will be funded through a grant from the American Bar Endowment.

Brittain says once it’s available, she wants survivors to take full advantage of it.

“I say, ‘Go use it!’ Use your resources very well.”