SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

1.8 million to eliminate back log of rape kits.. as viewed by (me!) sandra, tvgp

i am admittedly belated as the grants have already been granted. im  just frustrated and don't understand.  if you type, rape kits, in the  search bar of my blog, it explains my great frustration

-only valid if the following is true:

medical rape kits are a mandatory part of medical exams provided to victim/survivors.   so: not 100% of rape victims report it, or get examinations, but of the percent that do, a rape kit will be included 100% of the time, which collects DNA evidence.

K..

so far, so good..

where the problem comes in, is that some 80% percent of rapists are known and can be successfully, accurately, unquestioningly identified by their victims without DNA evidence being needed

-there may be large debates about mutual consent..   but some 80% are in fact identifiable without needing/requiring DNA evidence.

so, while a photograph of shelves and shelves of untested kits might look like a dramatic, inexcusable problem

the reality, is that DNA testing is not even necessary on 100% of kits that exist.

-this is my understanding after a conversation I had several years ago with Christine dillman at the Tri valley haven in Livermore.

where I once served as a trained/certified volunteer.

From their perspective..  struggling financially to provide services/shelter to rape survivors and domestic abuse victims, among others in desperate need...

from their perspective, this grant money could be put to MUCH GREATER USE helping survivors directly

Vs. Spent testing a bunch of backlogged rape kits where the DNA evidence is not even required in the first place.

So..  if I am in fact understanding the situations correctly

-how could anyone argue with the fact the grant money could and should be spent on prevention..  and direct support for survivors.

***

my case, is actually the rare exception, not the rule.  a serial rapist who prevented his victims from being able to see and identify him, and who remained at large; never caught by police..

in this rare, exception..  DNA evidence would have been wildly helpful in proving whether or not the person arrested for a different crime, was in fact, the lakeside serial rapist.

but this happened one or two or some small number of years prior to DNA evidence making its debut in the courtrooms..

So, while I directly understand and appreciate the value of rape kits and DNA evidence..

I am also very aware, that stranger rape is the exception..  that most perpetrators are known by their victims and a very large percentage of rape kits do not even need to be tested at all...

if anyone has the counter argument/explanation, I am open to hearing, learning, understanding.   without it, I am left only to believe this is a sad, and tragic waste of very valuable grant money.

***

all that said..   my science mind weighs in too:   like.. 

what, -how much can we learn by comparing/contrasting the DNA of these kits, where the obvious common denominator is rape.

Can ANYTHING we learn help prevent the crime in the first place?
   -because that remains my sole,

and my soul,

interest.

***

in Jesus name, amen.

***

this is not off my mind:

according to article in pleasanton patch:

In Alameda county, 1,075 kits remain untested..

fast forward, and contra Costa county's backlog & award even larger:

1.8 million to eliminate 2,400 untested kits.   /help with math.. that's how much per kit?!

[Sit with those numbers for a few more seconds...]

K..    is it true that

DNA testing for evidence is required only for circumstances where the perpetrator's identity is utterly unknown and can ONLY be proven via DNA test and/or perpetrator denies any contact with victim, and DNA evidence can prove otherwise..

which leaves me wondering..

just how prevalent is this hideous crime?

just how long does it take, and how much does it cost to process/provide kit testing information?   -and how many rapists are skipping through life in the meantime?

what the hell is wrong with people? society/culture in general that statistics are this high..

and lastly,

dear Nancy O'Malley, dear Cyrus Vance Jr., Dear Eric Swallwell and Dear President Barack Obama..

what can I do to help?

***

still not off my mind..

I know I can, have, will continue to help rape survivors directly.  but my higher interest is in reducing (realistic)

stopping/eliminating (idealistic) the crime itself.

like, my dream would be to get the current  total number of sexual abuse/rape crimes in a given county.

create a task force.   -and within a given time frame..  see that statistic drop dramatically.

I'd sure also like to figure out/problem solve for why these kits, this testing is so outrageously expensive and timely..

I'm quite confident there is room for improvement in every area that surrounds this issue.    I'm just not sure where to begin...

posted by SHE @ 1:06 PM