Cohen Speaks at Hearing to Examine Why So Many Rape Kits Go Untested Across the Country

“Having such a tremendous rape kit backlog is unacceptable,” said Congressman Cohen. “Victims of sexual assault deserve justice. It is vital we find a way to ensure rape kit backlogs come to a quick end and today’s hearing provided us with the knowledge we need to help make that happen.”

The hearing – “Rape Kit Backlogs: Failing the Test of Providing Justice to Sexual Assault Survivors” – was held to explore why so many rape kits are not tested and what can be done to clear up the backlogs that exist across the country.

When a person is raped and reports the crime to police or goes to the hospital, he or she will be asked by hospital staff or police to consent to the collection of a rape kit -- a collection of any physical evidence the attacker may have left behind, including vaginal swabs, urine samples, blood tests, and fingernail scrapings.

While no national statistics exist to determine the exact number of untested kits across the country, some estimates put the number at around 180,000. Many rape kits across the country are going untested for various reasons, including a lack of resources, prioritization of cases by prosecutors and police, and delays at police crime laboratories.