WS Chronicle

By Jess Schnur 

On March 31, the Governor of North Carolina, Josh Stein, proclaimed the month of April to be Sexual Assault Awareness Month to support survivors and spread awareness.  

“This month we recognize the survivors of sexual assault in our state,” said the Gov. Stein. “Last year we cleared the backlog of older sexual assault kits in our state, but there is more work to be done. That is why I have called on the General Assembly to fund a sexual assault cold case unit – because it is never too late to hold a perpetrator accountable or get justice for a victim of this heinous crime.” 

Sexual violence is defined as any unwanted physical or verbal advance including sexual activity, abuse, harassment and assault. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, approximately 81% of women and 43% of men experience sexual assault and/or harassment in their lifetime.  

According to data published by the N.C. Department of Administration’s Council for Women and Youth Involvement (CFWYI), from July 2023-June 2024 there had been 8,577 victims receiving in-person or remote services in response to experiences of sexual assault across the state. Among these individuals, 1,577 of them were under the age of 18; 1,298 of the victims had also been reported to be homeless or housing insecure. The CFWYI reported more than 27,400 crisis calls and chats received in the same fiscal year. However, only around 4% of these instances were perpetrated by strangers; 19% of these instances consisted of a relative as the offender of these assaults, and 16% were by acquaintances.  

According to the Winston-Salem Police Department crime statistics, as of 2024, there had been 79 cases of rape reported under the category of violent crimes. This demonstrated a 27.4% increase in the frequency of the offense from 2023. So far, for 2025, the Police Department has reported three instances of rape in their statistics.  

“Approximately 63% of victims choose not to report sexual assaults because of the deeply personal nature of what they experience and their fear of the retraumatization that can occur during the prosecution of a case,” said Forsyth County District Court Judge Valene McMasters in a statement for The Chronicle. “Proclaiming April as Sexual Assault Awareness month helps to bring victims out of the shadows and lets them know that they have access to local organizations that provide hands-on support like Family Services, Eliza’s Helping Hands, and Next Step Ministries. When presiding over these cases, I have to be intentional about having trauma-informed courtroom interactions and make appropriate adjustments, such as seating prosecuting witnesses away from alleged offenders, which maximizes safety and builds trust with the public.” 

In North Carolina, the CFWYI funds sexual assault programs in 96 counties across the state – including Forsyth County. They offer counseling, 24-hour crisis lines, transportation, and court and advocacy services. There are also several resources within Forsyth County that can support victims of sexual assault: 

• Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center: (Contact: DeWanna Hamlin, Executive Director) 

• Family Services 24-Hour Hotline: (336) 723-8125 

• Family Services Child Advocacy Center: (336) 723-8173 

• Eliza’s Helping Hands 24-Hour Emergency Line: (336) 671-0138 

• Next Step Ministries 24/7 Crisis Hotline: (336) 413-5818 

• Legal Aid of North Carolina Winston-Salem Office: Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Project (Contact: Daniel Joyce, Managing Attorney (336) 725-9162) 

• Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina: (Contact: Iris Sunshine, Executive Director) 

• Salem College -Title IX Office (Contact: Nicole Hundt, Executive Director)   

• Wake Forest University: Safe Office/Safe Office Crew 

• Winston-Salem State – Title IX Office: (Contact: Kayla Rudisel, Coordinator) 

• UNCSA – Title IX Office: (Contact: Valerie Thelen, Chief Compliance Officer and Director) 

• Winston-Salem Police Department 

• Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office 

• Kernersville Police Department 

• Forsyth County District Attorney’s Office (Contact: Kia Chavious) (Child Victims) 

• Forsyth County Clerk’s Office – Assists with filing civil no-contact orders for non-consensual sexual conduct 

• NC Coalition Against Sexual Assault  

 “Nobody should be subjected to such horrific acts, so the fact that four out of five women and nearly half of men in this country experience sexual assault or harassment at some point in their lives should raise alarm bells for all of us,” said North Carolina Department of Administration’s Secretary Gabriel J. Esparza. “We must continue to educate communities on the importance of consent and to be aware of the signs of sexual abuse.” 

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you do not need to be afraid to seek support. You can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).