The state is chipping away at thousands of backlogged and untested sexual assault kits. But officials stress that recent progress is partially due to one-time grant funds, and that it needs more resources to keep up with rising demands for DNA testing in violent and sexual crimes.
Sexual Abuse & Domestic Violence
Local production ‘Same’ brings stories of gender-based violence to light
The idea of the show happened out of conversations with friends and colleagues who were angry that stories about gender-based violence weren’t being heard, said director Allison Holtkamp.
Security questioned after grandma’s alleged assault during courthouse hearing
It took 11 minutes for a law enforcement officer to arrive after a courtroom incident in which a woman says she was punched out.
Western Alaska still has state’s highest rate of reported felony sex crimes
More than twice as many felony sex offenses are reported per capita in western Alaska than in the rest of the state, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.
Doctoral student compiles database of indigenous women who’ve gone missing
A Southern Cheyenne woman found no solid data on the many indigenous women in the U.S. and Canada who have gone missing or been killed under suspicious circumstances. So she compiled it herself.
Ketchikan school board votes to investigate district’s actions in Edwards’ case
The Ketchikan School District is going to hire an independent investigator to look into the district’s actions regarding former teacher Doug Edwards, who faces charges that he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl at the high school, as well as other locations.