New Campaign Aims To Strengthen Laws, Protect Hoosiers From Sexual Assault

A new statewide campaign to address sexual assault against women in Indiana launched to raise awareness and change laws around the issue. 

One in five women in Indiana report having been sexually assaulted. The new campaign will use cultural efforts, including readings and exhibits. 

Tracey Horth Krueger is president of the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault. She says a project called El Tendedero/The Clothesline displays handwritten notes of victim stories. 

"These come from victims and victim stories are so powerful to read and think about and ponder and it’s going to help shape laws," says Horth Krueger.

The campaign aims to have more Hoosier women engage with lawmakers to strengthen laws. The group says more than 14 percent of high school aged girls report being forced to have sex. 

Krueger says women in Indiana are made to feel like an assault is their fault. 

"We need to have a culture and we need to have laws that support survivors and hold perpetrators accountable," says Krueger.

Numerous events to raise awareness around the issue are planned throughout 2020. 

Contact Jill at jsheridan@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @JillASheridan.