SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Police say a 27-year-old woman was motivated to come forward and report her alleged sexual assaults after seeing local news coverage of other women with similar experiences from the same suspect.
Santa Barbara Police say they've added more sexual assault charges against 30-year-old Jerry Bonhomme after a fourth woman has come forward to say she too was allegedly raped by Bonhomme.
Police say the alleged fourth victim claims to have been sexually assaulted by Bonhomme under similar circumstances involving three other women, in that she had been drinking heavily with Bonhomme in downtown Santa Barbara bars and then woke up in bed to find Bonhomme allegedly raping her.
"I think the media can play an important role if its reported in a supportive way", says Shannon Chavez, Executive Director of the North County Rape Crisis and Trauma Protection Center which provides confidential counseling and support services to victims of sexual assault and child abuse.
Chavez says the Bonhomme case is an example of how a victim's knowledge that they are not alone can help overcome fear or other issues involved in preventing them from talking to someone about it.
"You are letting the public know about a case that has happened, and that law enforcement is seeing if there are other victims involved, to have them come forward. Sometimes I think when the media sensationalizes cases that can make a survivor feel like I don't want to talk to anybody, or I don't want to come forward because of that, it can cut two ways," says Chavez.
Santa Barbara Police believe there may still be more alleged victims of Bonhomme who are afraid to come forward.
"This is a community issue where the community need to be aware of whether it's the media, organizations like us, getting out there and talking to people, or individuals," says Chavez.
Bonhomme is now facing multiple rape and other felony charges related to four alleged victims.
Bonhomme is in Santa Barbara County Jail with bail on the four rape cases against him set at $400,000 dollars. He's expected back in court on Monday to be arraigned on these latest charges against him.
