New App Introduced In Wagoner County To Help Sexual Assault Victims Report Crimes

The vast majority of rape victims never report it to police. The Wagoner County Sheriff's Office wants to change that. They and a group called Help in Crisis are offering a new app where victims can report crimes without talking with law enforcement.

They say sexual assault victims often don't report because of fear or they feel ashamed about what happened.

This app gives victims the ability to report the crime from the comfort of their own home, at their own pace, instead of sitting across a table from an investigator and being asked the same questions over and over again.

Wagoner County Sheriff Chris Elliott says his department is the first in Oklahoma to offer the Seek then Speak web-based app.

Victims of sexual assault can use the app to seek resources and get their questions answered.

“It will answer their questions on what should I do next. What does a sexual assault exam look like? Is it free? Is there any cost to that? What are my rights as a crime victim and where can I go to get help,” said Laura Kuester with Help in Crisis.

Help in Crisis is a non-profit that offers support for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Kuester says victims often feel alone, and she hopes this app will make victims feel supported and empowered to come forward.

"What we really want is, we want to give them an alternative way to report. Because the more that report, the more chances we have to get these bad guys off the street,” Kuester said.

The Seek part of the app is a question-by-question interview. Victims can answer at their own pace, and when they are done, they can either print it or email it to their local law enforcement agency.

Sheriff Elliott says they want to help victims, but they can't investigate something if they don't know about it.

"They get to report that to law enforcement when they choose and when they are ready. It eliminates them having to come in and having to relive that violent encounter with an investigator,” said Elliott.

A link to the Seek Then Speak App is on the sheriff's office website. Kuester says hope to expand this service to other counties.