Years in the making, Maryland has unveiled a new system to track sexual assault evidence kits (SAEKs) as they move through the process from collection to forensic testing.
Using a simple barcode, survivors will now be able to check the status of evidence, commonly called "rape kits." All new SAEKs must be given a bar code, and legislation requires the thousands of untested kits in storage also receive a bar code and be entered into the system by the end of 2025.
Since this system launched three and a half weeks ago, 14 sexual assault survivors have been given anonymous access to track their barcoded evidence kit. They’ve already logged in 90 times, demonstrating how important this information is for survivors.
MCASA applauds the new system as much needed progress, but there's still a long way to go. Executive Director & Counsel, Lisae C. Jordan, Esq., noted that “It’s been an enormous fight to have the government take rape cases seriously...Survivors who choose to have a forensic exam to provide the state with vital information that we need to convict sex offenders and make our communities safer, should be lifted up as heroes...Tracking the evidence that they have provided from their bodies after the trauma of a sexual assault — that’s the least we can do.”
The new system will be a tool for survivors, though they will still need advocates and victims’ rights attorneys to guide them through the legal process and connect them with crisis centers for counseling and support. A vital next step is providing sexual assault advocates with access to the system so that they are able to better serve the survivors seeking their assistance.
If you had a sexual assault forensic exam and have questions about the status of your kit, or the new kit tracking system, you can contact MCASA's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Team:
833-364-0046
[email protected]
