By: A Survivor Not a Victim
January 15, 2019
Trying to decide whether or not to get a rape kit after you have been raped is a very hard decision to make. There is no right or wrong choice. You have just been completely violated on every single level imaginable; then, if you get a rape kit, you have not only to tell and relive the events of your rape, but you also have to be poked, prodded, and inspected in every area! AWFUL!!! It’s no wonder why people don’t get rape kit’s done or why they don’t report their rape. Below, a survivor shares her feelings;
“I made the decision not to get a rape kit, which is a decision I regret every day. I did eventually report my rapist to the police. That being said, I think going back, if I was more informed (which is a catch 22 because no one thinks that rape is going to happen to them, so not many people look into the logistics about options of what to do and how it works if you are raped) I might have forced myself to get a rape kit, but maybe not…for me the shock was really bad”.
Anonymous Survivor
You only have 72 hours in most cases to collect DNA evidence (see RAINN). But I am getting away from the topic of this post, so what happens when you decide to get a rape kit, go through the physical examination and surrender your clothes, or I should say “evidence”. Eventually, you receive the results regarding whether or not DNA was present, and the District Attorney’s Office will use the results, your statement, additional evidence (if applicable), and the statement of your rapist to decide whether or not to move forward with prosecution. Then what?
One woman asked for her clothes back. I would have done the same thing. I mean, you lose so much already once you are raped, you probably are not planning on wearing your clothes again, but it doesn’t matter, they are yours, and you have already lost enough. Here is the video of her opening the evidence box of clothes from her rape kit: Video of “Evidence Box” after getting a rape kit done.
A Survivor Not a Victim 