Safer Act Bill Passed, Rape Kits Will Be Processed More Quickly
By: Katiera Winfrey
Updated: March 21, 2013
With the Safer Act bill, more government funding will go toward processing more rape kits and get rid of the backlog many law enforcement evidence centers have. The additional money for the processing of kits could potentially bring more suspects to justice.
Lennah Frost is a rape survivor. In 1993 she said she remembers coming home and going to sleep to ultimately be woken up by an unknown male on top of her. Frost said, unlike so many others, her rape kit was processed quickly, however, for some victims, they're kits may sit for months or even years because of funding shortages.
Melissa Nay with the Midland Crime Scene unit said, "I think the safer act is gonna provide a lot money for analysis and the preservation of rape kits so that it'll be done in a timely manner."
Part of the "Violence Against Women Act" women across the nation, the Permian Basin included, may finally be getting a break thanks to that additional funding for processing rape kits.
"This is gonna give them everything the government can do," said Betty Dickerson with the Midland Rape and Crisis and Children's Advocacy Center.
She said, now that the Safer Act bill has been passed, the hope for change has become a reality.
"I can only imagine how much it will help," said Dickerson.
Once the kits are tested the results are sent to the national DNA database Codis.
Nay said, "It's a database of suspects so it's gonna help solve those old cases and any new ones."
Frost said, although the new government law won't stop sexual assaults it will bring suspects to justice.
"I think it gives closure to people," said Frost.
