IN THE NEWS
‘11,000 to Zero’ campaign seeks those affected by Detroit’s rape kit backlog
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s office has launched the “11,000 to Zero” campaign as part of its rape kits backlog review.
In 2009, an Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor discovered a warehouse containing 11,341 rape kits, dating back to 1984, that had never been tested. Last month, the prosecutor’s office announced that all of those kits have now been tested.
How genetic genealogy helped nab a Detroit serial rapist
A Detroit man named Lionel Wells was sentenced last week for sexually assaulting five teenage girls between 2007 and 2014. He’s the latest perpetrator of a violent crime identified with the help of a relatively novel investigative technique called genetic genealogy.
Why it was important for Wayne County prosecutor, activist to clear backlog of rape kits
Detroit activist Kim Trent says there were a number of different motivators to clearing the rape kit backlog, including reforming a culture that frequently blames rape survivors.It all begins with an idea.
Hundreds convicted after Detroit processes thousands of backlogged rape kits
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office is now investigating and prosecuting hundreds of sexual assault cases after scientists finished reviewing rape kits in 2019 — according to a report the Detroit Police Department’s Special Victims Unit delivered to the Board of Police Commissioners (BOPC) last month.
Untested Rape Kits Hid 817 Serial Predators In Detroit, Tens Of Thousands More Concealed In Backlog Across U.S.
Detroit's recent discovery of more than 800 serial rapists underscores the national problem of rape kit backlogs—and how ignored evidence leaves serial predators free to attack again.
There are hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits sitting in police storage rooms and crime labs across the country, according to nonprofit organization End the Backlog. The White House put the number at 400,000 in 2015.
I AM EVIDENCE - THE DOCUMENTARY
Learn more about the rape kit backlog through HBO documentary - I AM EVIDENCE
I AM EVIDENCE tells the story of four survivors whose rape kits went untested for years, following them as they navigate their way through the criminal justice system and learn that so often, the system is broken. The film reveals the historic nature of the way we treat the crime of sexual assault in this country, and the positive effects that occur when perpetrators are held accountable and survivors are given an opportunity for healing and justice. I AM EVIDENCE has won the audience award for Best Documentary Film at both the Provincetown and Traverse City Film Festivals.
Why is there a rape kit backlog? What can we do to fix the problem? This film explores these questions through survivors’ experiences as they trace the fates of their kits and re-engage in the criminal justice process. I AM EVIDENCE illuminates how the system has impeded justice while also highlighting those who are leading the charge to work through the backlog and pursue long-awaited justice in these cases.
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