Working for Justice for Victims of Sexual Assault

Last year, the Department of Justice reported that nearly 90,000 people were raped in the United States.  This astounding number probably underestimates the reality if you consider the fact that many sexual assaults are never reported to authorities. 

What’s even more unbelievable is that the United States has a backlog of tens of thousands of untested rape kits.  This backlog means that all too often sexual assault victims are denied justice. 

It's unacceptable that rape kits sit around for months or even years while the perpetrators are still out on the streets potentially harming others. Victims deserve justice in a timely manner.  

The rape kit backlogs also have serious consequences for law enforcement and public safety.  The New York Times recently highlighted a California case where a rapist struck twice while the rape kit for one of his earlier victims sat unprocessed at a Sacramento crime lab.  

A bill I recently introduced with Senator Al Franken works to ensure that this back log is a thing of the past.  Our bill addresses the national rape kit backlog and several other problems that work to deny justice to victims of sexual assault including the denial of free rape kits to survivors of sexual assault and the shortage of trained health professionals capable of administering rape kit exams. 

We put some strict stipulations on jurisdictions receiving federal funds by requiring recipients to decrease the backlog of rape kits by 50 percent in a two-year period.  We also create incentives for jurisdictions to reduce their rape kit backlogs, promptly process incoming rape kits, and report the number of backlogged kits.  Finally, we also require that jurisdictions receiving federal funds actively count and report their untested rape kits so that sunlight shines upon this problem and will help prevent future backlogs. 

Our bill is supported by the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), SOAR (Speaking Out About Rape), Human Rights Watch, National Network to End Domestic Violence, Family Violence Prevention Fund, Stop Family Violence, National Women's Law Center, National Health Law Program, Feminist Majority, NOW, National Partnership for Women and Families, National Research Center for Women and Families, National Council of Women’s Organizations (NCWO), Women’s Research & Education Institute (WREI), Wider Opportunities for Women, and the Equal Justice Society.