October 10, 2023
The Pennsylvania state police have released a new report looking at potential options for a system to track the processing of sexual assault evidence kits.
Passed last year, House Bill 2032 required the state police to conduct a study and issue a report on a potential statewide sexual assault kit tracking system. The initiative seeks to provide more timely tracking of these kits and provide support to victims looking for updates on the processing of them.
HAP—in partnership with the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (formerly known as the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape)—supported the passage of House Bill 2032. The legislation resolved a technical conflict faced by health care providers when a victim chooses to remain anonymous per the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act (SATEC).
“The goal of this report is to assist the (commonwealth) in making improvements to the process of tracking sexual assault kits to ultimately allow survivors of sexual assault to become empowered with knowledge of where their rape kits are at any given time after collection,” the state report noted.
Among the key takeaways from the report:
HAP provided feedback on the state report related to the necessary resources and training; the costs and funding associated with the tracking system; and the benefits to victims and public safety.
The state report is available online.
Tags: Public Health | State Advocacy
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