Violence & Safety
Sexual violence disproportionally affects women and girls in Western Massachusetts. Western Massachusetts represents 13% of the state population but rapes in Western Massachusetts represented 20% of the statewide total and restraining orders represented 19% of the statewide total. Female students report rates of dating violence at more than twice the rate of male students in Franklin and Hampshire counties and the city of Springfield. Female students who identify as LGBTQI+ reported high levels of bullying and often skipped school because they felt unsafe.
School Safety
School survey data from across Western MA indicated a number of female students had experiences in school that prevented them from feeling safe. Female students reported higher rates of being bullied and missing school because of not feeling safe than their male peers.
Percent of Students Who Reported Being Bullied in the Past 12 Months by Gender and County
Source: Prevention Needs Assessment Surveys, 2017 (Berkshire, Hampshire) & 2018 (Franklin, Springfield)
Percent of Students Who Skipped School Because They Felt Unsafe in the Past 12 Months by Gender and County
Source: Prevention Needs Assessment Surveys, 2017 (Berkshire, Hampshire) & 2018 (Franklin, Springfield)
Provider Sexual Crime Reports
In MA, one way incidents of sexual violence are measured is through the completion of Provider Sexual Crime Reports (PSCRs). Typically, a medical provider completes a PSCR when an individual seeks medical attention (most often in a hospital/medical center) following a sexual assault.
These data are based on those individuals who sought medical attention after a sexual assault, where a PSCR was completed, and the institution submitted the reports to Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS). A higher number of cases from a particular county could signify a higher incidence of sexual violence, but it could also signify a higher rate of help seeking and/or PSCR completions and submissions.
Distribution of PSCRs in Western MA
2017–2018
| Number of PSCRs | Percent of PSCRs | |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin | 15 | 4% |
| Hampshire | 70 | 18% |
| Berkshire | 91 | 23% |
| Hampden | 218 | 55% |
Percent
of PSCRs
Source: MA EOPSS, PSCRs 2017-2018
