Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp, left, talks with Tennessee state Sen. Bo Watson, R-North Chattanooga, on April 4, 2025, ahead of an event at the Hamilton County Justice Center to raise awareness of sexual assault. Hamilton County saw an increase in reported rapes in 2024, according to a county report. Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp, left, talks with Tennessee state Sen. Bo Watson, R-North Chattanooga, on April 4, 2025, ahead of an event at the Hamilton County Justice Center to raise awareness of sexual assault. Hamilton County saw an increase in reported rapes in 2024, according to a county report.
By Sofia Saric 5 min read
Hamilton County officials and advocates hosted a sexual assault awareness event Friday to draw attention to reported rapes increasing by more than 8% last year locally.
Partnership for Families, Children and Adults in collaboration with the Children’s Advocacy Center, District Attorney Coty Wamp and Sen. Bo Watson, R-North Chattanooga, held the event in the Hamilton County Courthouse to call for a united front in supporting victims of sexual assault and rape.
According to the Hamilton Counted 2024 year-end report — put together by Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp’s office — all violent crimes decreased except for rape. There were 158 rapes reported in Hamilton County in 2022, 157 in 2023 and 171 in 2024.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Event host Tabi Upton opens the program April 4, 2025. The Partnership for Families, Children and Adults and the Children’s Advocacy Center held an event at the Hamilton County Justice Center to raise awareness of sexual assault. Hamilton County saw an increase in reported rapes in 2024, according to a county report.Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Tennessee state Sen. Bo Watson, R-North Chattanooga, speaks April 4, 2025, at an event at the Hamilton County Justice Center to raise awareness of sexual assault. Hamilton County saw an increase in reported rapes in 2024, according to a county report.Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp speaks April 4, 2025, at an event at the Hamilton County Justice Center to raise awareness of sexual assault. Hamilton County saw an increase in reported rapes in 2024, according to a county report.Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp speaks April 4, 2025, at an event at the Hamilton County Justice Center to raise awareness of sexual assault. Hamilton County saw an increase in reported rapes in 2024, according to a county report.Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. speaks Friday at Little Rock City Hall during a press conference highlighting the upcoming National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones speaks Friday at Little Rock City Hall during a press conference highlighting the upcoming National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones and Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits Executive Director Joyce Raynor converse Friday at Little Rock City Hall after a press conference highlighting the upcoming National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)Little Rock Police Chief Heath Helton speaks Friday at Little Rock City Hall during a press conference highlighting the upcoming National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and Weston Wamp jointly proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, which is nationally recognized, in order to raise awareness.
Sexual assault will not be tolerated in Hamilton County, and it shouldn’t be tolerated anywhere, Watson said.
