Despite a violent weekend, police officials say overall crime in the Winston-Salem is down this year. But they caution there has been a notable jump in sexual assault cases recently.
Reports of rape increased by about 28% between January and October, compared to the same period in 2025, according to a review Winston-Salem Assistant Police Chief Jason Swaim presented at a city council meeting Monday.
"I know another question is, 'do we have a serial rapist running around?' No," he said. "In a high percentage of these, the victim knew the offender.”
Swaim attributed the spike to several factors, including increased sexual assault education by community organizations and on college campuses.
“Victims feel more comfortable reporting every year, just due to education and more support for those victims," he said.
In general, crime in Winston-Salem is down by about 17%, with an especially sharp drop in homicides. Swaim says police have recorded 10 as of Oct. 19, compared to 23 during the same time frame last year.