Reports of sexual abuse of minors has spiked, according to Anchorage Police Department officials, but they say that's not a suprise.
APD Segerant Cindi Stanton says every fall when kids head back to school the number of abuse reports rises.
"School starts back up at the end of August and the numbers just start building up," Stanton said. "Within the next couple of months they get a lot higher for sexual abuse of a minor."
Stanton said 73 reports of sexual abuse of a minor were filed between the summer months of June 1, 2012 and August 15, 2012. Once school started the reports rose to 111 between August 16, 2012 and November 1, 2012.
APD attributes some of the reports to the advocacy organization Stand Together Against Rape (STAR). The organization teaches children at some Anchorage schools what type of touching is acceptable and what is not and also what to do if innapropriate touching happens.
"STAR's mission is to tell kids what a common language is that they can use to share information about them being hurt. That way they'll be able to vocalize (it)," said Jenna Unger, STAR Community Education Manager. "That (way) if something bad is happening to them, they'll know where they can go for help."
STAR encourages parents to contact their school and request a presentation be made in their childs classroom. Unger says for every school visited by STAR at least two disclosures are made by children.
APD says while the number of reports taken during the summer months is lower it doesn't mean that less crimes are taking place, just that they aren't being reported.
Channel 2 reached out to the Anchorage School District to find out how teachers and counselors handle reports from children, but it did not comment.
Contact Mallory Peebles