Butte County SART Releases 2024 Report on Sexual Assault Incidence

CHICO, Calif., Jan. 22, 2024 – The Butte County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) released its 2024 report on the incidence of sexual assault in Butte County during 2019-2021. During the three-year time frame, 252 forensic medical examinations were conducted by Enloe Health and Oroville Hospital for evidence of sexual assault and child sexual abuse. These 252 examinations represent survivors ages 2 and older.

SART is a multidisciplinary collaborative team comprised of private and public agencies and a countywide program that serves sexual assault and child sexual abuse survivors. It ensures that any person, regardless of insurance status or background, who is sexually assaulted or abused in Butte or neighboring counties has access to forensic medical examinations by compassionate trained professionals. The program provides sexual assault survivors with medical assessment and treatment in coordination with supportive advocate services and assures the timely and expert collection of physical and biological evidence needed to bring perpetrators to justice.

The key takeaways from the report are:

• The data does not capture all sexual assaults or instances of child sexual abuse that occur in Butte County but only those that received a forensic medical examination. It is believed that many more assaults occur and go unreported.
• Of the total 252 exams, 97 were conducted in 2019, 90 in 2020 and 65 in 2021.
• During 2019-2021, Enloe Health conducted the majority of exams, 77%.
• The majority of victims were female, accounting for 92% of the exams conducted. The majority of assailants were male, accounting for 84% of those reported.
• Native and African Americans incidence rates are higher than other races and ethnic groups when compared to their respective Butte County populations. This is consistent with national trends.
• Of those who reported their age, 57% were under 25 years of age, compared with 38% in the previous report from 2016.
• The distribution of victims reported residences are 82% Butte County, 4% Glenn County, 6% unknown, and 8% counties outside of Butte and Glenn.
• In the report, 35% of the victims stated they were students at the time of their assault. Note only exams conducted at Enloe Health include a question regarding student status.
• At least 72% of victims knew their assailant, with 17% reporting they did not know their assailant; 11% of exams did not have these data available.
• About half – 46% – of assaults with a known time occurred between 10 p.m.to 3 a.m., compared to 60% in the previous report.

Other data in the report includes tribal affiliation, self-reported college, number of assailants, assault methods, voluntary and involuntary alcohol and drug use, loss of consciousness or memory, evidence collection, and a success story.

The members of Butte County SART are Enloe Health and Oroville Hospital; Butte County agencies, including the District Attorney’s Office, the Victim Assistance Bureau, Butte County Public Health, and Butte County Sherriff’s Office; Chico, Oroville, Gridley, and Paradise Police Departments; California State University, Chico, and Butte-Glenn Community College; and victim advocacy agencies, including, Catalyst and DeafSAFE. Butte County SART works in close partnership with the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Forensic Services Laboratories, in Chico and Redding; and the Jan Bashinski DNA Laboratory in Richmond.

“The SART nurses do exceptionally difficult work serving both the survivors of sexual attacks and playing a critical role in public safety,” said Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey. “Their conscientious care is often the start of the healing process for sexual assault survivors. Their professionalism plays a key role by collecting evidence, which is often essential to hold offenders accountable for vile conduct. This report helps provide the public some insight into these extraordinary nurses’ critical function.”

“The SART report highlights the critical work done by those entities supporting survivors of sexual assault,” said Anastacia L. Snyder, Executive Director of Catalyst. “By collecting and looking at data we can get a better understanding of the magnitude of the issue and identify trends that can inform our community’s response. As Catalyst specifically moves into providing services, we appreciate this collaboration and this tool to help us meet the needs of survivors. It is vital to the work we do.”

Jacqueline Winters-Hall, Enloe Health’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Coordinator, encourages survivors to go to a hospital, even if they are unsure if an assault occurred.

“Forensic nurses bridge the gap between nursing science, forensic science and the justice system. Our team of forensic nurses are available 24/7 to provide compassionate, trauma informed care. Talk to us and seek medical care,“ she said. “We are here to take care of you. It’s a very scary time. We are here to help survivors begin their journey toward healing. It’s one of the worst experiences in our patients’ lives, but our patients are the bravest people.”

Winters-Hall served as chair of the Butte County SART in 2014 and from 2020-2022. Enloe Health is proud to have been a founding partner of the Butte County Sexual Assault Response Team since 2009. To learn more about Enloe Health’s services and find resources, visit www.enloe.org/sart.