'Rape Kits': option for victimized
By: Aditi Dubey
Issue date: 5/18/07 Section: News
Originally published: 5/18/07 at 4:09 AM EST
Last update: 5/18/07 at 4:09 AM EST
Originally published: 5/18/07 at 4:09 AM EST
Last update: 5/18/07 at 4:09 AM EST
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Editors note: This article is part two of a four part series on sexual violence.
Asking for help can be frightening, especially if you are a victim of sexual violence. In fact, most of people do not even know what their options are.
One of the tools most widely used to help victims of sex crimes is a 'rape kit', also known as a sexual assault evidence kit or sexual assault forensic evidence kit. It contains a set of equipment used by certified medical personnel for gathering evidence following a sexual assault.
"Rape kits contain most of the single use items needed to collect and preserve physical and biological evidence of a sexual assault," said Candace Wanamaker, director of support services at the Department of Public Safety. "They also contain forms for documentation and of the forensic or medical exam."
While each hospital can determine its own set of items, a rape kit normally contains the following: detailed instructions for the examiner on using the kit, forms for documentation of what is observed, tube for blood samples, urine sample container, paper bags for clothing collection- victim's clothing is collected for any external evidence and new clothes are provided, a large sheet of paper for patient to undress over, cotton swabs for biological evidence collection, sterile water, sterile saline, glass slides, unwaxed dental floss, wooden stick for fingernail scrapings, envelopes or boxes for individual evidence samples and labels for each item.
"They are not standardized and will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction," Wanamaker said. "They are manufactured to the specifications of the jurisdiction ordering them."
Due to the legal liabilities involved in case the victim wants to press charges, rape kits are not performed at all hospitals or health centers, including Drexel's Hahnemann Hospital, the Drexel Student Health Center and also Hospital of University of Pennsylvania.
"There are two hospitals in the area where Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner nurses are available to do the rape kit and these are Episcopal Hospital and Jefferson Hospital," said Annette Molyneux, assistant dean at the office of Counseling and Heath. "All sexual trauma cases in the city are transported to those hospitals to have the rape kit performed.
Asking for help can be frightening, especially if you are a victim of sexual violence. In fact, most of people do not even know what their options are.
One of the tools most widely used to help victims of sex crimes is a 'rape kit', also known as a sexual assault evidence kit or sexual assault forensic evidence kit. It contains a set of equipment used by certified medical personnel for gathering evidence following a sexual assault.
"Rape kits contain most of the single use items needed to collect and preserve physical and biological evidence of a sexual assault," said Candace Wanamaker, director of support services at the Department of Public Safety. "They also contain forms for documentation and of the forensic or medical exam."
While each hospital can determine its own set of items, a rape kit normally contains the following: detailed instructions for the examiner on using the kit, forms for documentation of what is observed, tube for blood samples, urine sample container, paper bags for clothing collection- victim's clothing is collected for any external evidence and new clothes are provided, a large sheet of paper for patient to undress over, cotton swabs for biological evidence collection, sterile water, sterile saline, glass slides, unwaxed dental floss, wooden stick for fingernail scrapings, envelopes or boxes for individual evidence samples and labels for each item.
"They are not standardized and will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction," Wanamaker said. "They are manufactured to the specifications of the jurisdiction ordering them."
Due to the legal liabilities involved in case the victim wants to press charges, rape kits are not performed at all hospitals or health centers, including Drexel's Hahnemann Hospital, the Drexel Student Health Center and also Hospital of University of Pennsylvania.
"There are two hospitals in the area where Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner nurses are available to do the rape kit and these are Episcopal Hospital and Jefferson Hospital," said Annette Molyneux, assistant dean at the office of Counseling and Heath. "All sexual trauma cases in the city are transported to those hospitals to have the rape kit performed.
