Since then, we have helped legislators in all fifty states create over 110 laws, based on our six pillars of rape kit reform. However, our work has only just begun. Though many of these laws make great strides in rape kit reform, we have found that sometimes certain organizational and verbiage flaws cause loopholes that do not serve survivors or law enforcement and end up leaving offenders on the streets.
“I waited 32 fear and anxiety-filled years to hear anything about my kit and my case, and I know others are experiencing that tragedy right now. My heart aches for them,” said Gail Gardner, a survivor from Florida who was kept in the dark about her rape kit for over three decades. Today, a bill […]
Though there were many challenges and setbacks, 2020 was an exceptional year. We are thankful that despite the devastating effects of the pandemic and states’ shifting legislative priorities to health and economic recovery bills, our work to end the backlog and support survivors continued to move forward. Twenty three states introduced 46 bills that would […]
THE JOYFUL HEART FOUNDATION WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM MILLER OF IOWA The author of this post is Attorney General Tom Miller of Iowa. In 2016 the state carried out a comprehensive inventory of sexual assault kits. In this post, AG Miller walks us through the inventory process and talks about the implementation of a rape […]
Since 2010, ending the rape kit backlog has been the top advocacy priority of the Joyful Heart Foundation. In 2016, Joyful Heart launched a national campaign to eliminate the backlog based on six pillars of reform. The campaign has been incredibly successful, with reform spreading across the country. In fact, 43 states have passed at […]
Ending the rape kit backlog will take a coordinated effort and deep commitment at all levels of government. Throughout the country, State Attorneys General have joined this effort to take action to address their state’s backlogs of untested rape kits. These actions have made communities safer and helped to bring justice for survivors. The initiatives […]
THE JOYFUL HEART FOUNDATION WITH AUDITOR GENERAL EUGENE DEPASQUALE OF PENNSYLVANIA The author of this post is Auditor General Eugene DePasquale of Pennsylvania. In 2016, Auditor General DePasquale issued a special report describing the backlog problem in the state and issues of non-compliance of a rape kit inventory law passed in the state in 2015. […]
It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of sexual assault kits are sitting untested in police department and crime lab storage facilities across the country in what is known as the rape kit backlog. Each kit represents a lost opportunity to bring healing and justice to a survivor of sexual violence and safety to a […]
THE JOYFUL HEART FOUNDATION WITH MISSOURI ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC SCHMITT Our guest author is Attorney General Eric Schmitt of Missouri. Attorney General Schmitt launched the SAFE Kit initiative in the state to address the backlog of untested rape kits and bring justice to survivors. The first step of the initiative was to carry out an […]
