Legislator, Cd'A police work to advocate for sexual assault victims

COEUR d’ALENE — Rep. Melissa Wintrow said her work advocating for victims of sexual assault in the state Legislature has been a lot like peeling back an onion.

Peeling back one aspect of the issue, such as how long rape kits are required to be held by law enforcement offices, has led to the discovery of a new issue that needs to be addressed.

“It’s one of the most underreported crimes in the nation and it’s happening at alarming rates,” Wintrow, D-Boise, said. “Right now, I don’t think the criminal justice system, as a whole, is doing enough to help the victims of these crimes.”

During the last two legislative sessions, Wintrow was behind two bills that passed unanimously, which require all Idaho law enforcement agencies to: track the number of rape kits they collect, how long the kits must be preserved, how many of the kits go untested, and documenting why untested kits weren’t tested. On Monday, Wintrow met with Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White to discuss the legislation, as well as how the department is addressing the issue of sexual assault.

“I believe the Coeur d’Alene Police Department is on the right track and it is my sincerest hope they will be a leader in changing people’s attitudes and perceptions about sexual assault, how those crimes are investigated, and how the victims are treated,” Wintrow said of the meeting.

Prior to serving in the Legislature, Wintrow worked in education for more than 25 years and, while employed with Boise State University, created an advocacy program to support victims of sexual violence and university policies to hold perpetrators accountable. Wintrow told The Press her background gave her a firsthand look at how hard it is for victims of sexual assault to report the crime to authorities — largely due to what she called a culture of victim blaming and public shame.

“If we know all of that going in, we better do everything in our power to make it safe to report these crimes, and then do something about those reports,” Wintrow said.

For White, who said the Coeur d’Alene Police Department operates with a victim-centric approach, Wintrow’s background and current legislative work creates the ideal foundation for a strong partnership.

After her visit with White, Wintrow said she is confident the department is on track to meet the guidelines enacted through the legislation. More important to Wintrow, she said, was the agency’s willingness to work with local organizations such as Safe Passage to provide additional support to victims.

Many departments have a paid position, called a victim-witness advocate, that helps victims of sexual assault as their case goes through the justice system.

White said he has requested the funding for such a position, but it was not approved by city officials for financial reasons. This year, White hopes to obtain a grant to fund the position.

In the meantime and beyond, White said his department will continue to nurture a strong relationship with the organization.

“The more communication between these community partners, the better,” Wintrow said. “When we create these relationships, we create better paths to help people who are victimized.”