Advocate sought for Y. rape victims

PROVO — The mother of a Brigham Young University student raped last year says there must be more help provided to sexual assault victims who are attacked on the university campus.

The woman says her daughter would not have survived the emotional and physical trauma had the family not been living in Provo at the time, even though the jury believed her story and the young man accused of the crime was convicted.

A veteran campus police officer agrees.

"We feel there's a need. They (the victims) deserve better," said Brigham Young University Police Lt. Arnie Lemmon. "We need to have a victim's advocate available to our coeds."

Lemmon and the mother — who is not identified because publication of her name would then identify her daughter — are asking the LDS Church-owned school for funding and permission to set up a victim's advocate program on the Provo campus.

The lieutenant said fewer than five rapes have been reported to BYU police in the past several years — but he believes the incidence rate is much higher.

"Obviously, our population is being victimized off campus," Lemmon said. "When you understand that 50 percent to 90 percent of rapes go unreported, you know there's a need."

Colleen O'Brien, who spoke at a recent Sexual Assault Conference in Provo, started such a program in Wisconsin.

"I lived in a community of 300,000 that said, 'We don't need this,' " O'Brien said. "We had 23 patients the first year. We now have 300 each year."

National statistics show one in every four women are sexually assaulted. And college campuses, according to the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, are prime target areas.

Female students come to BYU believing they're in a safe environment, said the mother.

When they're attacked, they feel guilty and ashamed. They often try to ignore it, assuming they won't be believed or there will be retribution if they try to tell authorities.

"My daughter could have used more support. I could've used more support. I would've loved to have someone to call to deal with the mentality of it," said the mother.

"The reality is, we are in a school with an honor code. My personal belief is the girls are scared to report a rape because they're afraid they'll suffer the retribution."