A new report claims sexual violence, in just one year, cost the state of Iowa $5.8 billion, or $1,875 per resident. The research was financed by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center. Binnie LeHew, with the IDPH, talked about the report Thursday at a press conference in Des Moines. “The conclusion we have is that sexual violence is a costly and serious public health problem in Iowa and it has profound short and long term impacts on its victims,” LeHew said. “Because of this, we feel strongly that we have to invest in prevention.” 

The report shows, in 2009, more than 55,000 people experienced sexual violence in Iowa. LeHew said around 55-percent of the government’s expenditures associated with sexual violence were tied to the criminal justice system, while just one-percent was directed at prevention efforts. “Not that we don’t need to have resources in the criminal justice system, but we cannot continue to put all of our eggs in that basket,” LeHew said. “We have to invest in prevention and recognize, because so little of sexual violence is ever reported, we have to reach out to people in many other ways – which is what a comprehensive prevention program would do.” 

The report noted this year 1 in 35 women in Iowa between the ages of 18 and 44 will experience sexual violence.

(Pat Curtis/Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The Army Corps of Engineers plans to cut the flow of water coming out of Gavins Point Dam in southeast South Dakota next week to check for damage from last year’s flooding.  The corps said Friday it will conduct the test on Tuesday to look for damage caused by last summer’s sustained high water releases. People who live downstream from the dam in Nebraska and Iowa could see the Missouri River drop more than a foot on Tuesday because of the test.  The corps’ John Remus says preliminary inspections indicated the dam sustained minor damage to its spillway, so officials want to get a better look. If the test is successful, officials will plan to reduce the flow for a longer period in May to complete damage assessments.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is expected to sign into law this (Friday) morning, a bill which provides volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical services personnel with an individual income tax credit and includes an effective date and applicability provisions. Senate File 2322 says a volunteer fire fighter and volunteer emergency medical services personnel credit equal to fifty dollars will go into effect January 1^st 2013, and is designed to compensate the taxpayer for the voluntary services if the volunteer served for the entire tax year. 

The firefighter or EMS taxpayer is required to have a written statement from their fire chief or other appropriate supervisor verifying that they were a volunteer fire fighter or volunteer emergency medical services provider during the tax credit period.