Author: Elizabeth Dowd Major: Political Science
A rape kit or a sexual assault kit (SAK) is a container with the materials and instructions to conduct a sexual assault forensic exam. As rape kits have become backlogged, the amount of money it takes to test many rape kits increases heavily. Making sure that rape kits are tested is essential because it allows a victim to have the opportunity to have their assailant prosecuted. Since rape kits are testing for internal and external damage and DNA samples, the process takes a few hours and is very extensive and evasive. Victims go through this process and then could have their rape kit thrown out.
I started my research during the fall semester of 2019. My interest in this project initially began as I listened to a podcast called My Favorite Murder by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. They discussed the rape kit backlog ad different avenues that an individual could donate to help the cause. The listener wonders about a point brought up, every rape kit that has not been tested signifies the possibility that there is still a rapist committing the same crimes. As time goes on, evidence decomposes, and the statute of limitations begins to run out on prosecuting the crime of rape and sexual assault. The podcast brings to light a problem within the criminal justice system and the policies and procedures surrounding rape kit testing. This research aimed to sketch out a timeline of how the rape kit backlog unfolded and how it is trying to be cleaned up to understand the problem and try to offer policy solutions to prevent it from occurring in the future.
No one tells you that when you start this journey, it is mentally draining. Victims and survivors’ stories overwhelm most of the research, and the disregard surrounding their kits is overwhelming. The disregard shows that rape culture is still very prevalent across the United States and that victims are still being ignored. It takes a lot of money to fix a problem that has become so large and affects people across the United States. I learned a lot through this experience, but I mainly learned that I could make a difference. For the problem to be addressed, people need to know about it first. That is what I hope I accomplished through my research to bring awareness to the problem.
My research experience was tough to start. I was met with issues finding an advisor that was available and willing to pursue this topic. I was eventually taken under Dr. Karen Sebold’s wing after taking her Money and Politics class as a sophomore. Dr. Sebold played a large role in helping this project along. We met on a bi-weekly basis even before I started my hours of honors research. Another professor that helped along in this research was Dr. Janine Parry. She helped with pointing me in the direction of resources that I could use and writing a research paper over the statute of limitations for rape in Arkansas. Another issue I ran into was finding information on the topic. I looked into making Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests but realized that it would be too costly and there was the possibility that I would not get the information I was looking for.
A lot of things went right, and a lot of things went wrong during this process. Things started to go wrong once the pandemic hit. I was in the middle of collecting data on the six states in question that I was studying. Everything shut down, and it was harder to find recent news about the rape kit backlog because everyone’s attention shifted toward the COVID-19 pandemic. That was the only main thing that went wrong during this process. Writing went right from the start of my research endeavor. I had collected research even before my honors research hours began, so setting up my literature review was easier than I thought it would be. I was combing, through the enormous number of studies done on this topic so far and condensing them into a literature review that summarizes all of the research I had found has taught me how to analyze and collect data. Having so much research already under my belt allowed me to spend more time gathering data. My research data covered the timeline of the rape kit backlog, the legislative reforms, and the money allotted to test the backlog in Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Missouri. Six states already seemed like a lot of data, but because of the amount of time I had, it was something that I was able to get done.
I was supposed to attend the Northeast Conference on Public Administration (NECoPA) in Boston, Massachusetts, in November 2020. The conference was put online, and so I presented my research through zoom while at my house. Giving my presentation was nerve-racking because I was the only undergraduate on my panel, and it was the first time I had done something along those lines. My presentation panned out well, and I explained my topic well and provided interesting data that interested people on the subject. I came away from this experience, knowing that I did something very few people at my school had even attempted.
Regarding what is next for me is currently up for debate. I graduated in December 2020 and plan on applying for the dual J.D./M.A. program at the University of Arkansas. The skills that I have gained from this entire process will allow me, in the future, to transfer those skills to other scholarly activities that I partake in during the future. I plan to expand on this research once I get into graduate school and hope to make a real difference in the world regarding my research. The end goal would be to have extensive research on all 50 states and be able to update it on a yearly basis.