100 serial rapists identified after Detroit finally processes untested rape kits

[ismnotwasm]

There are an estimated 400,000 untested rape kits in the US. (Photo credit: Lonnie Timmons III, Plain Dealer)
Back in 2009, over 11,000 kits were found abandoned in a Detroit Police storage facility. After processing just 1,600 of them so far, Detroit has identified about 100 serial rapists and ten convicted rapists. Those perpetrators have moved on from Michigan to commit similar crimes in 23 other states.

Of course, Detroit is not alone. Nationwide, there are an estimated 400,000 untested rape kits. One of our favorite actress/activists Law and Order: SVU’s Mariska Hargitay (read her Feministing Five interview here) has been raising awareness about this issue for awhile now. Her organization, The Joyful Heart Foundation, has launched a project called End The Backlog to pressure cities and states to prioritize testing their kits. (She’s also producing a documentary about the problem.) And thankfully, 17 states have proposed new legislation to address their backlogs.

There’s a ton of reasons that the rape kit backlog is national shame. For one thing, as Hargitay notes, “One would assume that if someone endures a four- to six-hour invasive examination, that that evidence would be handled with care.” And while police departments say testing evidence is expensive and they just don’t have the resources, they’re making choices about which cases they believe are worth moving forward. Sarah Tofte, the director of policy and advocacy for Joyful Heart, explained to ThinkProgress, “They’re making subjective judgments about whether they’re likely to get a conviction, what this rape looks like, whether the victim is credible, and what the victim’s worth to society is…Ultimately, it’s about, does this victim deserve justice?”

In other words, if we didn’t live in a rape culture in which all but the most “perfect victims” are doubted, you can bet your ass there wouldn’t be such a backlog. As Hargitay said, “To me, this is the clearest and most shocking demonstration of how we regard these crimes.”

http://feministing.com/2014/03/17/100-serial-rapists-identified-after-detroit-finally-processes-untested-rape-kits/

[BainsBane]

1. This is good news, but it should be common place

There should not be backlogs of rape kits anywhere.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. DU Rec

past time.

[cui bono]

3. I hope this is a cross post...

because otherwise I really am losing my mind.

[one_voice]

4. k&r

[sheshe2]

5. And

A couple weeks ago, the White House announced they’d devote $35 million in next year’s budget to grants for processing unopened kits. We’ll be watching closely to see if congressional Republicans block that modest effort to help communities bring rapists to justice and prevent sexual violence.

http://feministing.com/2014/03/17/100-serial-rapists-identified-after-detroit-finally-processes-untested-rape-kits/

Yes indeed, that will be interesting.

[In_The_Wind]

6. Indeed.

[freshwest]

7. You know they will... n/t

[sheshe2]

8. Oh, I know. nt

[bettyellen]

21. I hope they can push through the funding no matter what the Republican do. Shame on them.

[Auggie]

9. "...just don’t have the resources..." that's what happens when the 1% aren't taxed enough

[dbackjon]

15. And the locals refuse to fund their police departments fully

[Logical]

17. How about the local cops stop busting low level drug crimes and worry about rape kits. n-t

[JoeyT]

18. They somehow find the funds for

massive SWAT teams that regularly get them sued for millions of dollars, despite being under federal oversight for the last eleven years for police brutality and mistreatment of prisoners.

Funding, as usual, isn't the problem. What they spend the funds on is.

Among the $19.1 million paid in police misconduct-related payouts over three years:

$6.7 million was spent on 50 suits for violations of constitutional rights.
$2.4 million was spent on two suits for wrongful deaths other than shootings.
$1.9 million was spent on 49 suits for assault and battery, false arrest and imprisonment.

How many rape kits can you process for $19 million?

[Threedifferentones]

10. WE HAVE TOO MUCH REGULATION WE NEED TO CUT TAXES EVERYWHERE

TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY.

If those sluts want to be protected they should stick with a man they can trust. We need to conserve our tiny pool of police resources for real problems, like sending inner city kids to jail for years at a time for smoking a blunt.



Sorry if the nasty contents of this sarcastic post have upset you, my only excuse is that this sickening situation in Detroit has gone on for far too long, and nasty sarcasm is just how I vent. Better than punching my monitor donchaknow.

[LadyHawkAZ]

11. k&r

[William769]

12. kick & recommended.

[The Straight Story]

13. About time - we need federal funding for these

So many cities have backlogs numbering in the tens of thousands.

Put more money into testing than arresting people for pot and chasing down smokers at bars.

[Enthusiast]

14. This is outrageous!

Horrible!

[BainsBane]

16. kick

[Solly Mack]

19. K&R

[myrna minx]

20. K&R n.t