NOW Urges Funds For DNA Testing of Rape Evidence

March 13, 2002

Statement of National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy

In police departments all over the country, there is stored evidence that could identify the perpetrators of hundreds of thousands of rapes and sexual assaults. DNA analysis has not been performed on as many as a half million "rape kits" because enforcement agencies say they can't pay the cost of the tests. Unless we ensure adequate funding, time limits on prosecution will expire before the perpetrators can even be identified.

The National Organization for Women (NOW) applauds the introduction of the Rape Kit DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., to address this national disgrace. If passed, this bill will provide $250 million over two years to assist local law enforcement in completing the necessary DNA analysis.

According to the Department of Justice, there are hundreds of thousands of rapes and sexual assaults reported each year (National Crime Victimization Survey). Because about one-third of female survivors of sexual violence do not know their attacker, it is critical that DNA forensic evidence be collected and processed, and then linked with other state, local and national crime databases.

NOW's local activists report that in many jurisdictions the victim must pay for the processing of the "rape kit" evidence – an absurdly unfair proposition. Is there any other assault in which survivors are required to pay the cost of investigating the crimes against them? These expenses can reach $1,500 for DNA analysis, and $5,000 or more for extra costs such as evidence collection and medical care.

The Violence Against Women Act prohibits taxing victims of rape or sexual assault with the costs of evidence collection. But many law enforcement agencies claim that their resources are inadequate, and they often wait to conduct DNA analysis on rape evidence until they have a suspect in custody and a pending court date.

Sexual assault survivors deserve a full measure of relief and security knowing that their attackers are behind bars and not out on the streets looking for their next victims. We hope this important legislation will enjoy the same bipartisan support as the Violence Against Women Act.

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