Oregon Public Broadcasting

A new public awareness campaign in Oregon is attempting to clear up some of the myths about sexual assault.  Salem correspondent Chris Lehman explains.

News coverage of sex crimes tends to focus on sensational cases like stranger rape.  But the Oregon Sexual Assault Task Force wants you to know that most assaults are committed by people known to the victim.

Task Force Director Heather Huhtanen says it’s a mistake to minimize the harm they cause.

Heathers Huhtanen:  “When we confront the misconception that rape and sexual assault are crimes committed by strangers, we also confront the misconception that rape and sexual assault by a friend, family member, intimate partner, or acquaintance is somehow less serious.”

As part of a new publicity campaign, more than two dozen billboards around the state will carry the message that sexual assault is a deliberate choice that criminals make, and it is never the fault of the victim.