For sexual assault survivors, justice is hard to come by

An exclusive NBC Connecticut investigation found low conviction rates for sexual violence charges.

NBC’s data unit worked with local investigative teams to get a closer look at the problem.

In Hartford, police fielded 201 complaints in 2021 and 2022 for crimes of sexual violence resulting in 30 arrests. At the end of 2023, seven of those arrests had resulted in a sex crime conviction, or just 3.6%

It’s a frustrating statistic for survivors like Abby Prospere, whose alleged assault happened in a town outside of Hartford.

Five years later, the court case is pending.

“I can see why other people don’t want to go through the court process or deal with the police,” she said.

Prospere said she chose to speak publicly about her case because she knows many survivors don’t.

She knows survivors are often not believed when they come forward. Lack of evidence can also make sexual assault cases difficult to prosecute.

There have even been instances of police charging the alleged victim with filing a false report.

The issue was highlighted in the Netflix documentary “Victim/Suspect” which looked at dozens of cases around the country, including some in Connecticut.

That spurred Avon Police Chief Paul Melanson to action.

“It’s rare, but those rare things are the things that sneak up...and it got our attention,” he said.

Melanson is a member of the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), which shapes statewide police policies. He’s been very involved in a revamp for investigating sexual assaults.

“There’s specific training to investigating and dealing with victims of sexual assaults, the way we ask questions, how we ask them,” he said.

A new task force will soon take a more detailed look at sexual assault outcomes, best practices and training.

There are also plans for a pilot program out of the Hartford courthouse with a rapid response team for sexual assault investigations including police, prosecutors, counselors and medical professionals.

Hartford police declined an interview request with NBC Connecticut. A spokesman told us sexual assault incidents in 2024 were down 31% from the same time the previous year.

The department also said the Special Investigations Division was recently “restructured and focused on enhanced investigative efforts, collaboration with social service partners, and community engagement through preventative education and awareness.”

NBC CT Investigates requested an interview from the Hartford state's attorney more than a month before our airdate and received no clear response.

After our deadline passed, the Division of Criminal Justice told us its own data shows a much higher conviction rate, but it did not provide a clear explanation of how it reached that figure.

Their statement is below:

“The Division of Criminal Justice analyzed 191 sexual assault cases originating in the City of Hartford that reached a disposition in Hartford Superior Court since January 2021. Of the 191 cases, 61% resulted in a conviction on at least one of the listed charges and 35% resulted in a conviction for a sexual assault-related charge. In other words, 58% of the convictions were for a sexual assault-related charge.

Conviction rates can be misleading if they are not viewed in context. They may reflect various systemic factors, including the nature of the cases being prosecuted, rather than an indication of justice being served. A broader analysis that includes arrest rates, the quality of evidence and victim support services is essential to understanding the full landscape of justice for sexual offenses.

The Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting offenders charged with sexual assault and related charges and advocating for sexual assault victims. They do that every day in courtrooms throughout the judicial district. Hartford Judicial District State’s Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott is a leader in seeking justice for all victims of sexual abuse, particularly children, and has demonstrated a clear commitment to the fight against sexual abuse in her effort to establish the Regionalized Human Trafficking Recovery Task force with the Connecticut Children's Alliance. The Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office and CCA worked together to secure federal funding through the United States Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime in recognition of the unmet need for a victim-centered and trauma-informed multi-disciplinary approach to ending human trafficking in the Greater Hartford region. State’s Attorney Walcott also is a member of the Trafficking In Persons Council and serves on the Governor's Council on Women and Girls.

In addition, State’s Attorney Walcott is currently working with area police chiefs to establish a regional sexual assault response team dedicated to building successful investigations of sexual assault complaints and strengthening prosecutions. The team would standardize and be trained experts in handling sexual assault complaints from the initial police report to arrest, including evidence location and witness cooperation, in an effort to improve the entire spectrum of the justice process for sexual offenses. These efforts are aimed at increasing victims’ willingness to report the crime and to engage with law enforcement. The team will also work to increase the public’s understanding of sexual assault crimes. Analyzing how arrests are made and how cases are prosecuted provides insights into systemic barriers that victims face, rather than solely focusing on the end result of conviction.

The assistant state’s attorneys in Hartford take of utmost importance the care and thought required to properly prosecute sexual assault cases. While recognizing that there are always places for growth and improvement, State’s Attorney Walcott is proud of their hard work and diligence."