The first phase of statewide efforts to eliminate Virginia’s rape kit back log is complete. After decades of collecting dust on evidence room shelves, thousands of rape kits had been left unexamined, thus leaving the streets an open perilous playground for rapist to roam free, leaving women unsafe, vulnerable and unprotected.
Now that the first phase of kits has been tested, there’s only two years left of backlog. Approximately 1,770 Virginia rape kits have been tested. Many of the rape survivors have been waiting since the late 1980’s. A 2016 law requires speedy rape kit testing with the intent resulting in no future back logs. How can we be certain that every state is working diligently to eliminate their backlog? Is there a committee in place to hold each state accountable for compliance with the 2016 speedy rape kit testing law requirement?
Still, where is the concern for women in this country? At what point is it or will it be a crime to openly admit to physical, mental and verbal abuse of women with the abuser suffering little to no consequences? When will women stop being viewed as the character assassins while men casually brush off their abusive behavior as a forgotten incident or a minor harmless infraction that they never in thought would have been misconstrued as abusive?
Incidents of rape have been swept under the rug for far too long. Cases have gone unreported, survivors have been unsupported and unattended long enough. Sadly, survivors having the courage to report a rape are subject to re-victimization by an unjust archaic system run by chauvinistic misogynist men who think not with their brain, but with the small external organ dangling from just beneath their belt buckle.
State Prosecutors, its time hold the police accountable by enforcing the 2016 law requiring them to dust off the shelves of expiring evidence and give the crime of rape the immediate attention needed to bring rapist to justice.
Women, it’s time to break the chain of silence, eliminate the antiquated judicial system in place and fight for the dignity, respect and immediate attention that women in crisis and ALL women deserve!
