Sexual Assault

Sexual violence is a major public health and safety issue in Utah, affecting women, families, and entire communities. Each year, hundreds of Utah women are assaulted. Over a lifetime, 1 in 3 Utah women experience sexual assault and 1 in 6 experience rape, yet only about 12% of survivors report to law enforcement. In addition, research shows that Utah’s rape rate is the only violent crime in the state that exceeds the national average. Beyond the numbers, sexual violence causes long‑term physical, emotional, and psychological harm, often without a clear path to justice. Addressing sexual violence in Utah matters because prevention saves lives, survivor‑centered support promotes healing, and safer systems strengthen the well‑being of our communities.

As part of a statewide network of organizations, A Bolder Way Forward’s Sexual Assault Spoke seeks to significantly decrease the prevalence of sexual assault in Utah and substantially increase the resources and support for survivors. Visit the resources below to learn how Utah can foster a culture of belief and support to ensure that survivors in Utah feel heard, supported, and empowered to seek resources for healing. Individuals, organizations, and communities can also take specific actions to help. To get engaged, email Sherry Huang with the Start By Believing Utah Campaign.

Key Resources

Informational Video

Resource Kit

Research Snapshot

What Utahns Need to Know

Spoke Podcast

Bold Goals

Through collective impact and systems thinking, Utah can improve things by working towards the following goals:

Decrease Utah’s high rate of rape. [Metric Dashboard]
Increase the number of sexual assault service providers that are meeting the “minimum standard of care.” [Metric Dashboard]
Increase the number of ongoing victim service activities by direct providers in Utah. [Metric Dashboard]
Increase ongoing state funding for sexual assault prevention. [Metric Dashboard]
Shift Utahns’ agreement (understanding and perceptions) in the following areas [Metric Dashboard]:
1. I don’t think sexual assault is a big problem in Utah. (Decrease agreement)
2. Any unwanted sexual contact or behavior is sexual assault. (Increase agreement)
3. I don’t think there is much I can do about sexual assault in my community. (Decrease agreement)
4. I know where to find sexual assault resources in my community. (Increase agreement)

Spoke Advisors

Liliana Olvera-Arbon (Executive Director, UCASA)
Chyleen Richey (Director, Utah Office for Victims of Crime)
Julie Valentine (Professor, University of Utah)
Sherry Huang (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Wasatch Forensic Nurses)
Melissa Wayment (Grants Program Manager, Utah Office for Victims of Crime)

What You Can Do

Learn more about how sexual assault is a significant social, criminal justice, and healthcare issue in Utah.

Educate yourself about the importance of believing and supporting sexual assault survivors by checking out Utah’s Start by Believing campaign.

Take the Start by Believing Pledge to join the movement and support survivors. Encourage others to share their commitment as well.

Community Partners

UCASA is Utah's primary rape crisis coalition, providing training and technical assistance to rape crisis centers and ensuring the implementation of best practices in programming and administration. They advocate for rape crisis centers and survivors.

The Utah Office for Victims of Crime (UOVC) provides financial compensation for victims of crime, administers and monitors Violence Against Women grants, networks victim services across the state, and provides enhanced training.

Start by Believing (developed by End Violence Against Women International) launched a statewide, three-year public awareness campaign in Utah. It aims to end silence and change the way we respond to sexual assault.

CAPSA is a nonprofit domestic violence, sexual abuse, and rape recovery center serving Cache County and the Bear Lake area. They provide safe, caring, and confidential shelter, advocacy, and support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

FAFV is a community based nonprofit domestic and sexual violence program. They provide advocacy, shelter, rehousing, crisis intervention, education, and prevention in the Tri-County of Uintah, Duchesne, and Daggett.

A community based non-profit advocacy organization that serves Beaver, Iron and Garfield counties. CCS provides services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and engages in community education and prevention programming.

New Hope Crisis Center serves Box Elder County and provides trauma‑informed services and support for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other crimes. Services includefree advocacy, legal assistance, counseling, and a 24/7 crisis hotline.

Peace House offers survivor-focused, comprehensive services including clinical therapy, safe housing, sexual assault services, children’s services, and prevention education for individuals and families in Park City and the broader community.

Serving people in Sevier, Piute, Millard, Sanpete and Wayne counties of Utah, New Horizons Crisis Center advocates for victims of domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault. They offer crisis counseling, classes, and support groups for past and current victims.

Seekhaven provides free and trauma-informed services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Serving Grand, San Juan and Emery Counties, they provide advocacy, emergency shelter, counseling, financial aid, and transition assistance.

The Rape Recovery Center in Salt Lake City provides advocacy, crisis intervention, and therapy for survivors of sexual violence. It also offers prevention education and a 24-hour mobile response and helpline to support individuals and communities.

SVS provides counseling, case management, prevention, and shelter to help individuals and families experiencing domestic and sexual violence. They serve survivors throughout Salt Lake, Tooele, Carbon and Emery County, and have a 24-hour helpline.

Safe Harbor is a nonprofit organization that provides shelter, supportive services, and advocacy to survivors in Davis County. This includes 24/7 crisis support, residential services, education, awareness, and resources to the community.

Located in Ogden, YCC supports individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence through safety, advocacy, and resources on their journey to safe and healthy lives. They offer a rape crisis line as well as a Strnghearts Native helpline.

The Refuge Utah provides a safe, caring, and therapeutic environment to assist in the recovery of survivors of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, and stalking. They facilitate healing, advocate for victims, and decrease violence in the community.

Southwest Forensic Nursing & Healthcare provides trauma‑informed medical‑forensic care for survivors of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, strangulation, and human trafficking. They offer specialized exams, evidence collection, and support across Southern Utah.

UNHS provides 24/7 trauma‑informed sexual assault services, and offers medical care, evidence collection, and preventive medications. They also operate victim advocacy programs that support survivors of sexual and domestic violence across Navajo communities.

DOVE Center is a Washington County agency providing safe-shelter, crisis intervention, and prevention for clients who have been victimized by violence in their home. They also serve victims of rape, sexual assault, sex trafficking and stalking 24-hours a day.