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Highlighting NO MORE Day in the Media
Wednesday, March 13, marked the public launch of NO MORE, a national movement to end domestic violence and sexual assault. The coverage of the event has been overwhelming, and we know many of you want to know more about the day’s events and this important movement. We’ve compiled some of the initial articles about the launch that we’ve been reading here at Joyful Heart so that you can check them out too and get excited about coming together to say NO MORE to domestic violence and sexual assault. From the NO MORE congressional briefing to our meeting with the Vice President, from Mariska's inspiring speech at the National Press Club to the Washington Wizards saying NO MORE, there's plenty to read about.
Redouble efforts on untested rape kits
The News Tribune calls on the Missouri Highway Patrol to redouble its efforts to address the problem of a growing number of untested rape kits at the patrol's crime lab.
The Kansas City Star reported the number of untested rape kits with the patrol's crime lab has more than doubled since last August, when a new law requiring police to submit kits within 14 days took effect.
Cities and States Continue to Face Challenges with Rape Kit Backlogs
In attempting to clear a backlog of 6,838 untested rape kits, Wisconsin’s crime labs delayed DNA testing in around 350 active cases, a report released this week found. Since 2016, when the push to clear the backlog began, crime lab technicians have spent over 4,850 hours testing 4,160 of the kits, taking up about half of the state labs’ analyst capacity.
Wisconsin isn’t alone, explained Ilse Knecht, the director of policy and advocacy at the Joyful Heart Foundation, a survivor’s advocacy group.
Hundreds of rape kits go untested in South Carolina
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - When Ilse Knecht thinks about thousands of untested sexual assault kits, she imagines thousands of people sitting on shelves.
“Each one of these boxes represents a survivor who went through that experience, did everything society asked them to do - report the crime to police, have evidence collected and participate in the criminal justice process - and we fail them,” Knecht said.
Test Every Kit
DNA evidence collected after a sexual assault is known as a rape kit. Rape kits are supposed to be tested immediately. When they aren’t—it creates a backlog. New York City was one of the first states to clear its backlog in 2003. But nationally a quarter of a million rape kits sit in storage, waiting to be tested.
Healing and Justice for African-American Survivors
Kalimah Johnson is the founder and chair of the SASHA Center (Sexual Assault Services for Holistic Healing and Awareness), an agency serving African-American survivors in Detroit. A survivor of sexual assault herself, Kalimah also provides trainings to professional sports leagues—including the NBA, NFL, and NHL—about ending sexual and domestic violence.
Inside a SAFE Clinic: A Space for Survivors
Olivia Christians is a member of the GenerationJOY committee at the Joyful Heart Foundation. She had the opportunity to tour the Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) Clinic at the Nashville Sexual Assault Center and meet with its president, Rachel Freeman, and Vice President of Programs, Mary Beth Heaney-Garate.
What is a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner?
When a person is sexually assaulted, they may choose to undergo a forensic examination to collect DNA evidence left behind in the assault. The evidence is preserved in a sexual assault evidence collection kit, often referred to as a rape kit.
Quiz: How Well Do You Know Joyful Heart's 6 Pillars of Rape Kit Reform?
We began 2019 asking you, our joyful community, to help us advocate to end the backlog of untested rape kits around the United States. We developed six pillars of rape kit reform as part of our national campaign to enact comprehensive rape kit reform laws in every state. While we hope you share information about our campaign with others, we know some of the terminology we use can be challenging.
How to Get Started as an Advocate to End the Rape Kit Backlog
As we kick off a new year and a new legislative session, Joyful Heart continues our work advocating for rape kit reform across the country. Ending the rape kit backlog is a tremendous goal, and we need advocates like you to help by supporting reform where you live.
Whether you are a novice advocate or a seasoned pro, you can make a difference. Here’s how to start advocating for rape kit reform in your community.
