Public Policy
Since 2010, eliminating the backlog of untested rape kits has been our top advocacy priority. And now, we are leading a nationwide campaign with an ambitious goal: to enact comprehensive rape kit reform laws in all 50 states.
In 2016, the Joyful Heart Foundation, in partnership with Civitas Public Affairs Group, developed a grassroots, survivor-focused, and actionable nationwide campaign to end the rape kit backlog. The campaign plan was developed following a thorough review of the work in this area, which included interviews with nearly 75 trusted experts including advocates; survivors; prosecutors; investigators; crime lab personnel; and local, state, and national leaders. This was followed by a 50-state analysis of the policy opportunity landscape. The 50-state assessment formalized the six pillars for comprehensive rape kit reform. While the type and degree of our efforts vary in each state, our core focus is on supporting the development, advocacy, promotion, and passage of key reform policies.
This has included collaborating with state coalitions and local stakeholders to coordinate and unify our activities, working with legislators to provide guidance and help draft and amend legislation, and partnering with survivors who provide input and testimony to ensure that reform legislation is informed by their voices and others from across the country.
Why Legislative Reform Matters
Systemic and lasting change takes effect through state-level legislation. While agency, local, and county-level reform efforts are incredibly important, we know that perpetrators do not stop at the county limits, and survivors’ access to justice should not be limited by zip code. Over time, as leadership changes, media attention wanes, and priorities shift, we want to ensure that survivors of rape are not left behind.
How We Can Help
Joyful Heart works with state legislators to enact comprehensive rape kit reform legislation. We have created model legislation, offering a survivor-centered approach to rape kit reform at the state level. Our recommendations align with federal best practices as outlined in the National Institute of Justice’s July 2017 report, National Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits: a Multidisciplinary Approach, and has been reviewed by survivors, crime lab personnel, victim advocates, medical professionals, DNA experts, people in law enforcement, prosecutors, and victims’ rights experts. While every state should customize the model to ensure it addresses their unique challenges and existing statutes, our model legislation offers guidance to state lawmakers drafting rape kit reform legislation and covers all provisions that should be included in a comprehensive rape kit reform law.