Page 30 - Rape Kit News Today

Legislative initiatives against womens reproductive options. they have now in the first three months of 2013 alone, weve got do data that state lawmakers have introduced 326 restrictions on access to reproductive options, according abortion. some of them, most recently in texas, call a rape kit the same as abortion. how do you deal with that at hhs? >> well, i think one of the things about, again, the affordable care act and the policies that will be available, not only in the new marketplaces b...

They have whats called rape kits that the woman, shell get cleaned out. cant believe i have to say this, but rape kits, for the record, are the kit thats used to collect forensic samples from a rape victims body to be used in potential prosecution of the rapist. the sponsor of this legislation in texas apparently thinks a rape kit is an abortion? has no idea what a rape kit is, but she thinks it miraculously solves the problem of a rape-causing pregnancy. cleans her out. ah. so the magic rape ki...

>> how did that feel? >> it was devastating for me. its a very small school. at that point in time, i felt like my reputation was ruined forever. i had no clue what had happened. i knew i would never consent to do these types of things. >> did you go see a doctor. >> i did. for health reasons. i chose not to get a rape kit. >> what was the thinking in not getting a rape kit? >> i wanted nothing more than for the situation to go away. i felt like i was living a nightmare every day. it couldnt end...

>> people were making derogatory terms toward a female. i didnt know at the time that it was directed toward me. just kind of bragging about the situation that happened. i then began to inquire about the situation or what had happened to myself, i came to the conclusion that these individuals were talking about me. >> how did that feel? >> it was devastating for me. its a very small school. at that point in time, i felt like my reputation was ruined forever. i had no clue what had happened. i kn...

>> it was devastating for me. its a very small school. at that point in time, i felt like my reputation was ruined forever. i had no clue what had happened. i knew i would never consent to do these types of things. >> did you go see a doctor. >> i did. for health reasons. i chose not to get a rape kit. >> what was the thinking in not getting a rape kit? >> i wanted nothing more than for the situation to go away. i felt like i was living a nightmare every day. it couldnt end fast enough. >> you t...

And forced her back into her car. he then pulled the car around beside a dumpster and spent the next three and a half hours raping her. >> if i screamed or cried, he threatened me that he would kill me. >> reporter: when it was over, carol drove herself to the hospital, where doctors took swabs from her skin, hairs and fibers from her clothes. all part of whats called a rape kit. it was humiliating but carol endured it because she thought the material collected would help police catch her attack...

Next three-and-a-half hours raping her. >> if i screamed or cried, he threatened me, that hed kill me. >> reporter: when it was over, carol drove herself to the hospital, where doctors took swabs from her skin, hairs and fibers from her clothes. all a part of whats called a rape kit. it was humiliating, but carol endured it because she thought the material checked would help police catch her attacker. more than two decades later, caroles rapist still hadnt been identified. but a routine call in ...

Lot of reasons why its possible, none of them are appropriate excuses. some people say that its budgetary, others says the science hasnt caught up. i have to tell you as someone who has tried rape cases without this vital evidence, its inexcusable this kind of thing still happens in our country today. it is so very difficult for women who have been sexually assaulted to put themselves through the process of getting a rape kit examination done. its very, very intrusive. its very difficult for the...

How critical would you say the rape kits are in helping you solve these cases? >> theyre vital to our investigations, no question about that. >> reporter: sergeant welsh turned to the team here at the southwestern institute of forensic sciences. he asked them to test every single untested swab sitting in their freezer. there were thousands of them dating back to 1970. not a single one had ever been processed. the sergeant says decades ago, law enforcement just didnt have the tools to solve these...

>> from the rach kits. >> reporter: and caroles case was one of them. just four months, four monthings after caroles kit was located and analyzed the man who raped her was identified. adding insult to injury, joseph houston couldnt be charged in caroles case because the statute of limitations had run out. it turns out after caroles rape, he kidnapped another woman and exposed himself to a child. carol believes if her rape kit had been analyzed years ago, her attacker might have been picked up an...