When “Take a Number” Isn’t an Option

Examining the issue of backlogged, untested rape kits and what we can do about it.

Credit for this picture goes to Unsplash.com

I’ve been watching Law & Order SVU on television for as long as I can remember and have always been a fan of the actress Mariska Hargitay, who portrays Detective Olivia Benson in the show. Mariska is also an activist and it was through her documentary, “I Am Evidence”, that I first learned about the issue of backlogged, untested rape kits sitting in warehouses across the country. Idaho, for example, has an estimated 1,116 rape kits waiting to be tested. So, when asked by my professor to pick a cause I am passionate about and write an open-source article, I didn’t hesitate to choose this one.

Why do untested rape kits matter? No survivor of sexual assault should be victimized a second time by the judicial system.

What you should know.
According to the Joyful Heart Foundation, a rape kit is considered to be backlogged when it has been sitting in a testing facility, untested, for thirty days or more.

Rape kits aren’t being tested for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the following:

1) Facilities do not have adequate funding.

2) There is a shortage of qualified professionals to perform the tests.

3) The kits are being destroyed without being tested, some before the statute of limitations on the respective cases has even run out.

4) Some kits are not even sent to the testing facilities at all due to law enforcement officials not believing the victim.

Leaving rape kits untested sends a strong message to both the survivors and the perpetrators. To the survivors we are saying, “You are not valid. We don’t care what happened to you. We don’t believe you.” To the perpetrators we are saying, “We don’t care what you do. Feel free to do it again and again. We aren’t even looking for you.”

So, what can we do about it? Research the issue, raise awareness, and demand change.

Survey and Findings.
As part of this assignment, I was tasked with creating and circulating a survey. My initial hypothesis was that a majority of people would either have little knowledge of this issue, or be completely unaware all together.

The survey was deployed through a variety of social networking platforms, and was answered by 164 people. It was designed to grab the attention of the respondent while also ensuring that attention was not lost due to question fatigue. Additionally, due to the sensitive nature of this topic and the anonymity of the respondents, I wanted to make sure my questions were respectful of any emotional impact the survey could cause.

Below are my findings.

The first question in the survey was to establish age. I wanted to know if there was a correlation between the respondent’s knowledge of the issue and how old they are.

When asked “What best describes your current knowledge of backlogged, untested rape kits?”, most respondents felt only somewhat familiar with the issue.

Fewer than 60 respondents were either “not so familia” or “not familiar at all”l with how sexual assaults are prosecuted in Idaho, showing a similar trend.

When asked how important testing rape kits is to the judicial process, almost all respondents answered that testing kits was extremely important.

Finally, when asked about the emotional response to learning an approximation of how many untested kits sit in warehouses across the county, there were more than a few emotional responses. At the time of this survey, it was estimated that there are hundred of thousands of untested rape kits sitting in testing facilities across the country. Please see below.

Answers as typed by respondents

Based on the above findings, I believe that my initial hypothesis was correct.

So, what can we do as private citizens to address the issue of untested rape kits? It is my belief that we can first and foremost encourage public awareness.

The more information, the louder the voices.

Conclusion.
In conclusion, I implore you to further research the issue of backlogged, untested rape kits and reach out to people around you to share your findings. Inform those who are unaware and look to gain a deeper understanding from those who are aware.

As one of my favorite professors taught me, real reform is not simply made through demonstrations, but through honest and informative conversation.