West Virginia Rape Rate Is One in Nine, Federal Report Says

One in nine women in West Virginia has been raped, according to a report released by CDC. The report's data were gathered from the National Women's Study and the National Violence Against Women Survey, said Keri Kennedy, program manager for the West Virginia Injury Prevention Program in the state Department of Health and Human Resources. "This is the first time we have been able to put these numbers together," said Kennedy. State officials hope the report, "Rape in West Virginia: A Report to the State," will increase awareness of the problem and prevent violence against women. "Understanding the causes of violence against women is an important step in stopping future acts," said state Health and Human Resources Secretary Paul Nusbaum.

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