A group of state officials and groups announced a statewide plan to fight violence against women, the first of its kind in Alabama.
Figures from the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center state that more than 1,000 rapes and 20,000 domestic violence cases are reported every year. But officials say that's only about 20 percent of all the crimes being committed.
The goal of the plan is to inform every potential victim of domestic violence or rape of their rights and the steps they can take to protect themselves.
The plan will also educate law enforcement, doctors, and any other public officials that could be in a position to recognize the crimes and report them.
The plan, which is required of every state by the US Department of Justice, is the first to go through a formal planning process.
The groups that created the plan, the Council on Violence Against Women, has representatives from several organizations, including the Alabama Department of Public Health, A-DECA and the coalitions against Domestic Violence and Rape.