When someone reports a rape in Colorado, the odds of seeing an arrest are slim. Over the past decade, there has been roughly one arrest for every 10 reports. Survivors who spoke with reporters say that on top of those odds, they often faced skepticism from authorities, and some watched as medical exams and forensic evidence in their cases were later abandoned.
Investigation and data
As reported after journalists reviewed 10 years of Colorado Bureau of Investigation records, Denver Gazette reporters Jenny Deam and Evan Wyloge dug into a decade of data and interviews with alleged victims. Using the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's "all rapes" category, which includes rape, attempted rape, sodomy and rape with an object, they found that arrests and prosecutions trail far behind reports across the state, according to The Denver Gazette.
Big differences by county
The statewide numbers hide some sharp local contrasts. State crime figures show big swings from county to county, with urban and rural jurisdictions producing very different arrest rates. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation compiles and publishes the Uniform Crime Reporting numbers that make those comparisons possible; for background on the state data, see CBI.
Victims' cases that didn't move forward
The Gazette's reporting highlights county-by-county examples. In 2024, Denver County recorded roughly 705 reports and 133 arrests. Arapahoe County had about 131 reports and five arrests. Pueblo County showed 166 reports with three arrests. Routt County logged 14 reports and one arrest. Behind those figures are survivors such as Kiersten May and Kelly Tobin, whose medical records, toxicology results or forensic DNA findings were included in investigative files but still did not produce charges, according to investigative files reviewed by reporters, as per The Denver Gazette.
Why prosecutions stall
Prosecutors told reporters that many sexual-assault cases run into tough legal questions about consent, witness credibility and the high burden of proof required in criminal court. Advocates counter that when cases are routinely declined or delayed, survivors quickly lose faith in reporting at all, and in the justice system's ability to hold offenders accountable.
Training, lab fixes and next steps
In response to long-standing criticism, some law enforcement agencies have begun to adjust. Denver police now require officers to watch a 10-minute "Start By Believing" training video that is intended to improve how investigators respond to survivors. At the same time, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation says it is making measurable progress on DNA-testing turnaround times and is working to eliminate a forensic backlog, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said in a Feb. 25 news release.
What advocates want
Survivor advocates say training officers and speeding up lab work are necessary steps, but not sufficient on their own. They are calling for clearer communication from prosecutors, better resources for investigators and policy changes that address why so few reports end in criminal charges. Groups such as the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault continue to push for those broader fixes.
