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CHARLOTTE — The biggest holidays of the year are approaching which means more parties that can lead to increased reports of rape and sexual assault.

Rape cases involving strangers account for 12 percent of rapes in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Although acquaintance rape is slightly down, it still amounts to about 85 percent of all rape cases in the county, compared to 90 percent last year.

"We tend to see more reports this time of year just because of the environments people find themselves in," said Peacock.

It is possible many more go unreported because victims blame themselves.

"Then you have a lot more folks asking questions, 'well what did you do? Clearly you must have led him on, you shouldn't have been drinking,' and putting that blame back on the victim as opposed to the perpetrator where it belongs," said Joey Honeycutt with United Family Services.

Honeycutt said calls for support do not go up this time of year since new crimes are occurring, but because holiday parties trigger memories of previous assaults.

"Because the things that are going on with the holidays they go to a party and their previous perpetrator is there," said Honeycutt.

There are no statute of limitations for rape and sexual assault in North Carolina, which means victims always have the option to press charges. CMPD investigators also say they are seeing more cases among people who have met through social networking sites.