Illustrated by Ly Ngo.When you think of where crimes are committed, you likely think of dark alleys in major cities. But, as the FBI's latest crime rate report reminds us, misconduct happens everywhere. And, according to the data, Alaska and South Dakota had the highest rate of reported rape cases in 2012.
Alaska Governor Sean Parnell told CNN that rape and violence against women is Alaska's "epidemic." And, he's not exaggerating: The rape case per capita rate in Alaska is approximately 80 per 100,000 people. That's nearly three times the national rate of 27 per 100,000. Falling closely behind Alaska is South Dakota, with 70 reports per 100,000 people. What's even more concerning is the number of reported cases is so high in these relatively rural states, where residents may not have access to as many resources — like rape crisis centers — as those living in urban centers.
These stats are staggering. And, it's important to remember that this just reflects the number of reported rapes. Indeed, the majority of incidents in this country go unreported. Still, the information here is a fresh reminder that violence against women is still a huge problem in our country. (CNN)