Sequoyah County Commissioners Declare April Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Monday, March 30, 2026 — The Sequoyah County Board of Commissioners approved two proclamations Monday morning, declaring April as Child Abuse Awareness Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Sequoyah County. The designations aim to strengthen prevention efforts, increase public education, and support victims and survivors throughout the county.

During the meeting, Special Victims Advocate Sarah Ridinger with the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office spoke about the importance of community awareness and understanding.

“Every nine minutes, a child in this country is sexually assaulted, and almost every minute an adult is sexually assaulted,” Ridinger stated. “While the statistic involving children is absolutely horrifying, it actually happens even more frequently to adults.”

Ridinger explained that sexual assault remains one of the most underreported crimes. “Only about one in three people report sexual assault to law enforcement. That means the vast majority of sexual assaults go unreported. About 98 percent of sexual assault perpetrators will never see a day in prison. Out of 1,000 reported cases, only about 50 may be prosecuted, around 28 may result in a felony conviction, and roughly 25 will lead to jail or prison time.”

She added that a lack of understanding about sexual assault can make cases more difficult to investigate and prosecute. “One of the biggest barriers is ignorance—not in a negative sense, but simply that people don’t know. That’s why education is important. When we educate our community, we’re also educating the jury pool.”

Ridinger also noted that most assaults involve a perpetrator the victim knows. “About 80 percent of sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim, with survivors often facing scrutiny or victim-blaming when they come forward. These cases can drag on for several years, and at some point, many survivors decide they don’t want to keep fighting."

Despite these challenges, the April awareness initiatives aim to increase education, reduce stigma, and strengthen community support for survivors throughout Sequoyah County.

Lindsie Dyer, Staff Writer

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