Rape Prevention Education Program
Montana's Rape Prevention and Education Program provides resource and technical assistance to rape crisis centers throughout the state, many in the rural areas that do not have ready access to urbanized cities. The sites work to increase awareness and knowledge of rape and attempted rape and to prevent rape from occurring.
The crisis centers are committed to educating their communities by training and providing educational materials to local agencies and professionals, including law enforcement officers, health care workers, social workers, and mental health workers.
The centers are dedicated to prevention endeavors and use resources to educate the public via media campaigns, print materials and educational training programs within the K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions. As an immediate response to victims' needs for information and referral, nearly every site provides a 24-hour, 7days-per-week crisis line.
Incidence of Sexual Violence
It is estimated that one out of every five adult women, or 68,000 adult women in Montana, has been a victim of forcible rape sometime in her life (One in Five Report, Violence Against Women Prevention Research, 2003). According to the Montana Board of Crime Control, in 2005 there were 4.36 rapes per 100,000 people and 102 sex offences per 100,000 people reported in Montana. These numbers may not accurately reflect the true incidence of sexual violence. It is known that rape and attempted rape is vastly under-reported.
The Provider Data Quality Database indicates that in 2005, rape victims sought 10,982 services and adult sexual assault victims sought 12,663 services from local rape crisis centers (Montana Board of Crime Control and Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services).
The Behavioral Risk Factor Survey is another data resource available in Montana.
According to the Summary Report of the 2007 Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey, nine percent of high school students, grades 9 - 12, were forced to have sexual intercourse.
For further information, contact the HIV/STD Section at 1-406-444-3565.
Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS)
12-21-07
