A Maine prosecutor is trying to increase the number of sexual assault cases that make it to court.
The Bangor Daily News reports District Attorney Natasha Irving argued it is time to reform how the legal system in the state prosecutes sexual assault cases, so victims who come forward feel supported.
Case workers at Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine counseled 503 victims of alleged sex crimes last year while only 76 filed police reports.
The group’s executive director, Arian Clements, estimates about 34,000 people in the Midcoast area have experienced sexual violence but only a fraction seek help.
