Anonymous rape tests are going nationwide

[varelse]

Link to the article

ELKTON, Md. (AP) - Starting next year across the country, rape victims too afraid or too ashamed to go to police can undergo an emergency-room forensic rape exam, and the evidence gathered will be kept on file in a sealed envelope in case they decide to press charges.

The new federal requirement that states pay for "Jane Doe rape kits" is aimed at removing one of the biggest obstacles to prosecuting rape cases: Some women are so traumatized they don't come forward until it is too late to collect hair, semen or other samples.

[williesgirl]

1. Wow. What a great idea. Gives women time to think and then take action without losing evidence.

rec'd

[TommyO]

2. Does this also apply to men who are raped?

It does happen, and I didn't see anything in the article about that.

[rucky]

3. If they're anonymous...

I don't see why it wouldn't.

:shrug:

[varelse]

4. I sure hope so

and I can't see any reason that it would not - equal protection under the law and all.

[crimsonblue]

5. wow. K & R

this issue has personal significance, so any pub for it is good!

[tavalon]

6. Yikes.

If this is of personal significance for you then something bad happened to you or a loved one and that is awful and I'm sorry.

[crimsonblue]

8. yeah, wasn't a fun situation to deal with..

I'll leave it at that...

[Warpy]

7. The barrier is the EMERGENCY ROOM

not the police. Women who have been through it tell me the exam was nearly as traumatic as the rape, an intimate exam under blazing lights with all kinds of people staring at them.

In addition, the first thing most rape victims want to do is BATHE and get his stink off them. Unfortunately, that destroys the evidence.

Now if they can figure out a way to do a kit that can be done by rape crisis centers in a victim's home, they might be onto something.

[WildClarySage]

9. There's no reason it can't be, except that evidence collected is more

likely to be called into question by an already heavily favored defense. There's the issue of training victim advocates and that's going to be expensive. Finding funds for violence against women is very difficult in today's political climate. We can't even have a discussion about rape kits at the Women's Rights forum without someone trying to make it into an equality issue for men.

One of the problems we saw a lot of at our victim's advocate at the rape crisis center I used to work for was that women didn't view their experience as rape. They knew there was violation, but they were convinced it was their fault and therefore not rape. So they didn't show up at the ER or try to preserve evidence. A better understanding of the definition of rape would go a long way toward obtaining convictions both in terms of victim reporting and jury deliberations.

[Warpy]

10. Those were all good points

but at some point, victim's advocates are going to have to get together with female police officers and do the exams at a woman's home if they really get serious about getting these guys off the street.

[WildClarySage]

11. Couple of things...

Trained nurses are the ones complete rape exams, not advocates or police officers, and potential contamination is an issue with doing them in victim's homes- and a defense attorney is gonna be all over it. It would be nice if survivors didn't have to go to the ER for evidence collection, but there's really no way around it. Advocates and police work together all the time- as an advocate, I never worked a single day without some contact with law enforcement. The biggest hurdle for advocates and police is the public perception that women are either lying or are over-reacting to a sexual encounter. People don't seem to get it that rape is not sex, it's assault.

Juries need better instruction into the nature of rape and the consequences for survivors and their families. Public education on the topic is key, but it's hard to get that out because the very topic makes people squeamish, and a large number of men have an interest in continuing to believe that drunk women can give consent, that if she's said yes in the past that's yes forever and that women who are dressed in certain ways really do want it.

[varelse]

12. This is spot on:

"The biggest hurdle for advocates and police is the public perception that women are either lying or are over-reacting to a sexual encounter. People don't seem to get it that rape is not sex, it's assault."

The perception extends to many of the victims themselves, leading to doubt, shame, guilt, and fear that prevents or hinders the victim from reporting and pressing charges. That needs to be changed, and only public education can effect that change.

[fed_up_mother]

13. Boy, if that doesn't say a lot.

"Public education on the topic is key, but it's hard to get that out because the very topic makes people squeamish, and a large number of men have an interest in continuing to believe that drunk women can give consent, that if she's said yes in the past that's yes forever and that women who are dressed in certain ways really do want it. "