“Valerie Stafford says her recent appointment to the state’s Sexual Assault Services Advisory Committee will help Island County and other rural areas keep a high profile when it comes to supplying support to victims of domestic and sexual abuse. She said it will also give her a chance to see how other agencies across the state are dealing with the problem.Stafford is currently executive director of the countywide Citizens Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse, also known as CADA, a post she has held for eight years. She said the newly formed state committee is part of the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy, an agency that has pushed for equality of support services throughout the state. The group has also lobbied the state Legislature for more money to run programs.OCVA has a very good reputation, Stafford said. Legislators really look to them for guidance.Sexual assault comes in many forms, said Stafford.A lot of people think it is just rape or about a stranger jumping out from the bushes, she said. More often it’s date rape, child sexual abuse and sexual assault of the elderly. Primarily it’s by people they know. There’s also a serious problem of sexual harassment in schools. The education of young people about harassment is an area where the committee plans to direct a fair portion of its effort. In fact, sexual assault prevention will be a key focus of the committee. Stafford said education is needed equally by both women and men.Though violent crime has decreased nationwide, Stafford said statistics for sexual assault are not always reliable. That’s because more victims are coming forward today than in times past, but many are still hidden.We don’t see sexual assault dropping. It is the least reported crime of all. It’s still hard for sexual assault victims to come forward, she said.The Sexual Assault Services Advisory Committee meets quarterly in Seattle and Olympia. Stafford said the meetings are often intense but always informative.I always learn when I go, she said.In addition to her work with CADA, Stafford has also been a volunteer with the United Way, Special Olympics, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.You can reach News-Times reporter Chris Douthitt at cdouthitt@whidbeynewstimes.com or call 675-6611. “