LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) – April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Tuesday, nearly 100 students from YTI Career Institute in Lancaster listened to Kate Rush-Cook talk about her rape in 1993.
Rush-Cook says she was a college student when she was assaulted by a man in York.
“My goal is to raise awareness about sexual assault and the impact that it has on a victim’s life,” Rush-Cook said, “not only when the crime happens, but what life is like after the attack.”
According to Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, 68 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to police.
Rush-Cook encourages victims to speak with a rape crisis counselor.
“You need to talk to someone who understands what you went through,” she said. “They can guide you.”
More than 90 percent of rapists will not spend time in jail or prison. Rush-Cook says her attacker was acquitted but was found guilty in another rape case. She says that she will see it through that he serves a full sentence and will not get out early on parole.
Rush-Cook suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. She says that rape prevention starts at home. She says it’s important to teach children about respecting others, and when they get older, they will take action if they see or hear something that appears to be odd.Get breaking news, weather and traffic on the go. Download the ABC 27 News App and the ABC 27 Weather App for your phone or tablet.