Sgt. John Klafka from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Adult Crimes Unit reported an increase in sexual assault crimes during an April 5 presentation at Shield Bearer Counseling Center in Cy-Fair.
Although these crimes increased by 19% from 2020-21 locally, he said an estimated 91% of sexual assaults go unreported statewide. Texas on average reported more than 1,000 rape offenses each month throughout 2020.Klafka said many people who experience sexual assault do not report the incident out of fear of the aggressor or because of how long the investigation could take. Victims then may end up rehashing the trauma without getting the aggressor convicted, he said.
Should the victim report the incident, Klafka explained a deputy will complete a report, which is referred to investigators, and an investigation is conducted before facts are presented to the district attorney’s office.
