An Alaska nonprofit released results Tuesday from a candidate survey on domestic violence and sexual assault, and while the responses appeared to demonstrate a high level of awareness of the issues, some candidates expressed an unwillingness to prioritize areas of concern.
The Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault conducts the candidate survey each election cycle in the hope of educating the public about candidates' views on addressing what Gov. Sean Parnell, who is currently facing scrutiny for his handling of sexual assault allegations in the Alaska National Guard, has called an epidemic.
Reported rapes are more common here than in any other state, according to the FBI. Alaska's rape rate is nearly three times the national average.
The network asked candidates two main questions: how they would address disproportionately high rates of violence against Alaska Native women and how they would prioritize six focus areas, including sex assault in the military, prevention in schools and communities, funding of shelter programs, sex trafficking, violence against Alaska Native women and engaging men in ending violence.
"Several candidates expressed discomfort with having to prioritize because (they responded that) all were equally important and part of an overall strategy to end" domestic violence and sex assault, said ANDVSA Executive Director Peggy Brown on Friday.
"It is great to see the awareness of the need for a comprehensive approach," Brown said, adding that nearly half of the candidates who filled out the survey reported having visited an advocacy program in the past two years.
In response to the survey's question about how to address high rates of violence against Alaska Native women, Parnell said that over the past five years he's "led the charge" on the state's battle against domestic violence, sex assault and trafficking through his Choose Respect campaign. The statewide campaign rallies raised awareness of the issues, he said.
As for prioritizing areas of concern, the governor said, "I am unable to rank these, as I am personally engaged in every area -- all are priorities for me."
Parnell's running mate, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan, did not reply to the survey.
Independent gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker and running mate Byron Mallott both responded that the funding of shelters and programs was the highest priority, while sex trafficking was the lowest priority.
Although he complied with the request to prioritize focus areas, Walker added that ranking infers it would be acceptable to leave some issues off the table.
"I believe that is wrong," Walker wrote.
Sen. Mark Begich was one candidate who skipped the prioritization question. He said he is championing the Alaska Safe Families and Villages Act aimed at reducing domestic violence in rural communities.
Within the question about addressing violence against Native women, the senator brought up the need to stop violence against women in the military.
"I have demanded a stronger response to reports of sexual assault in the Alaska National Guard," Begich wrote.
Begich's opponent Dan Sullivan, the former state attorney general, said he would support tribal court development, village law enforcement and public safety equipment funding, and "support for tribal health providers in responding to domestic violence and sexual assault."
"The rates ... in Alaska demand a leader that doesn't play politics," Sullivan wrote. "It's time our State and Tribes partnered in the protection of our communities."
He chose to skip the prioritization question, too.
Rep. Don Young listed prevention in schools and communities as his highest priority.
Brown said she found a lack of prioritizing sex assault in the military particularly interesting.
"Either no one wanted to comment/prioritize because it's such a hot topic right now or they just don't think it a top priority," she said. "I'm not sure which. Walker put it at a three -- Parnell refused to prioritize. I would ask that whomever Alaskans choose as their governor, this needs to be a top priority."
The 2012 National Census of Domestic Violence Services, in which nearly 90 percent of Alaska's programs participated, reported emergency shelters and transitional housing as the most urgent unmet needs for state programs. Twenty-four percent of programs said they suffered from limited funding.
All of the candidates' responses are available on ANDVSA's website.