http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2010/09/22/franken-rape-kitsSen. Franken: Rape Victims Should Not Have To Pay for Their Own Rape Kits
Minnesota Senator Al Franken has spent his time in office as a staunch advocate for women's reproductive health. In the fall of 2009, Sen. Franken sponsored an amendment to a defense bill that would have de-funded military contractors who prevent rape victims from seeking justice, based on the case of Jamie Leigh Jones, who was sexually attacked while working for KBR - a subsidiary of Halliburton.
Now, the Minnesota Democrat is once more taking up the cause for women who have been victims of sexual assault. Last week, Sen. Franken spoke in front of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs about the backlog of rape kits going unaddressed in police storage, and the practice of making victims pay for their own forensic evidence.
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In 2009, Sen. Franken introduced the Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act, which according to his site, would "reduce the national backlog of over 180,000 untested rape kits currently in police storage" and "also address several other problems that work to deny justice to victims of sexual assault – including the denial of free rape kits to survivors of sexual assault and the shortage of trained health professionals capable of administering rape kit exams." Sadly, the bill was referred to committee, where it has now been for nearly a year.
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Will the provisions make it into the Justice for All Reauthorization bill? We will know this week.
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180,000 untestd rape kits currently in police storage.
like they really care about us women
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