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RAPEKIT BACKLOG -2ND THOUGHTS from (me!) sandra, tvgp

original post 09/10/2010.   repost inspired by president obama's march 8,  2013 signing of the women against violence act.    which is actually, on the whitehouse website,  called:  the violence against women act.  but i like my title better.

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i'm as guilty as anyone else.. jumping on the bandwagon without having all the information

stirred by mass media hype...

oh, and i should know better, shouldn't i; of all people.

but anyway..

i'm just off the phone with christine dillman, rape crisis coordinator for the tri valley haven -and was reminded

for 80% plus of rape victims -the perpetrator is already known.

-as my rapes were "stranger" rapes, my heart/memory hold thoughts accordingly, and so of course my reaction to any rape kit being left untested is = to letting a predator go free, while his victim is re-victimized

but christine's point is very important

if the perpetrator is already known.. the dna test, becomes then, -unnecessary. time/money that could be put to much better use

so her point -which i agree with whole~heartedly, is that we need to look closer at any legislation -specifically, any BLANKET legislation

which results in 100% of something becoming law/necessary, when in fact, in reality, we don't need 100% rape kits tested. that could actually be counterproductive.

but it reads correct, doesn't it. makes a good magazine article. sounds write on the surface...

what we need, (and as she pointed out, beautifully) is trained police officers, d.a.'s, hospital personnel who can accurately determine/decide/discern, when and if a rape kit is necessary (which is in fact, not 100% of the time) & then of course

if it is necessary -it should be tested.

at least this helps explain some of the backlog.. perhaps when we see a photograph of rapekits collecting dust on shelves

it is not a shelf full of rapekits for victims of random, stranger, serial rapists running free

but perhaps many of those kits were collected as necessary, formal, -back-up evidence; ultimately not needed or required for identifying/sentencing the perpetrator

the sad truth is that, as mentioned, some 80% + rape victims know their perpetrator..

if we (and i'm including myself in that we), jump to passing laws that direct time, money, resources to what ultimately are unnecessary policies/procedures

then we fail to use our time/money/resources in the most beneficial, powerful, effective way

the goal

for all of us, of course

is PREVENTION. i am victim~survivor, and a trained volunteer for the tri valley haven,

so when it comes to knowing how money, time, resources are best spent -and what help/aid 80% of our victims really need

what training our officers, hospital staff & counselors need, etc.

i direct you to the more knowledgeable person mentioned above:

christine dillman
rape crisis center coord., tri valley haven
925 449 5845 x2707

posted by SHE @ 5:49 PM