BROOKINGS — Mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month during the Brookings City Council’s April 14 meeting, casting a spotlight on a critical issue in South Dakota. According to recent state Department of Health data, South Dakota currently holds the 10th-highest rape rate in the country.
His proclamation came alongside comments from Sami Banks, the rural advocate for Brookings-based Margo’s Place.
“This month is about more than just awareness. It’s about acknowledging the reality that sexual violence doesn’t exist in a silo, but can affect children, spouses, families and entire communities,” she said. “This month and our work at Margo’s Place are about recognizing survivors, not just for what they’ve endured, but for their strength, their resilience and their right to heal on their own terms.”
The reports — specifically, the South Dakota Sexual Violence Data Summary 2023 and the South Dakota Campus Safety Reports Summary 2023 — from the state health department contained other key details as well, with the most recent statistics from 2023:
• Almost half — 48% — of rape victims in South Dakota were under age 20.
• Nine out of 10 rape victims were female.
• Native Americans make up 40.1% of rape victims in the state.
• The state’s rape rate was 50.3 per 100,000, the 10th highest state rape rate in the country. Nationally, the rate was 38 per 100,000.
• Rapid City has the third highest rape rate in the country per metropolitan area, at 116.5 per 100,000.
• 42.6% of rape offenders in South Dakota are ages 10 to 29.
• Statistics for each higher-education campus in the state were not available, but overall total forcible sexual offenses — defined as rape and fondling — across all South Dakota campuses increased from 15 in 2020 to 20 in 2021, then 29 in 2022 and 41 in 2023.
“At Margo’s Place, we have the privilege of walking alongside survivors in some of their most vulnerable moments,” Banks said. “We continually see first-hand the courage it takes to speak up and seek support and justice. We rely on the support of the community teaching us all to have compassion, elevate advocacy and educate one another to create real change.”
She continued, “Proclamations like (this) send a message in Brookings that this community is committed to believing and supporting survivors. It reminds us that prevention is possible, support matters and that everyone has a role in creating a safe community.”
Banks noted that Margo’s Place staff responds to the Brookings Health System, the Brookings Police Department and the Brookings County Detention Center — “wherever our clients need us.”
In closing, she said her agency is grateful for its relationships with law enforcement, emergency responders and criminal justice and community partners “for building a foundation of support for our survivors.”
Interested in training, need support or have questions? Margo’s Place is available 24/7 and can be contacted at 605-692-7233.
— Contact Mondell Keck at [email protected].
Leave a Reply