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A $4
million
infusion
into
Michigan's
forensic
lab
wouldn't
clear
all
11,300
long-forgotten
rape
kits
found in
a
Detroit
police
storage
facility
in 2009,
but it
would be
a
significant
step
toward
trying
to
identify
potentially
thousands
of
rapists
from the
last 25
years.
(USA
Today
photo) |
| |
"11,341
to Zero"
- All
untested
rape
kits
discovered
in 2009
have
been
tested,
survivors
are
urged to
go to
myrapekit.com
Survivors
of
sexual
assault
who
submitted
rape
kits in
Detroit
between
1984 and
2009 can
receive
information
and
support
via new
confidential
information
line and
website.
WAYNE
COUNTY —
Wayne
County
Prosecutor
Kym
Worthy
today
announces
the
“11,000
to Zero”
campaign.
Since
2009
these
cases
have
been
actively
investigated
leading
to
hundreds
of
prosecutions,
but
there
are
still
thousands
of cases
to
review.
Survivors
assaulted
between
1984 and
2009 now
have an
additional
option
to find
out the
results
of their
rape kit
testing
and the
status
of their
case via
a new
confidential
information
line or
by
visiting
www.MyRapeKit.com
to
receive
results
and
provide
information
to be
used for
investigation.*
Personnel
for the
11,000
to Zero
Untested
Rape
Kits
information
line
will be
available
to
receive
calls
Monday
through
Friday
from
8:30
a.m. to
4:30
p.m. at
(313)
224-4111.
Survivors
who
place
calls
after
hours
will
have the
option
to leave
a
confidential
voicemail
message.
“It
takes a
tremendous
amount
of
strength
and
courage
for
survivors
to
revisit
the
events
of a
sexual
assault,”
said
Worthy.
“We
understand
their
decision
to come
forward
is not
an easy
one but
want to
reassure
them
that
they are
not
forgotten
and
their
cases
still
very
much
matter.
We have
now
reached
a point
where we
need to
reach
thousands
of
survivors
to make
certain
they get
answers.”
In
addition
to rape
kit
testing
results
and case
information,
survivors
will
receive
information
for
counseling
services
through
Wayne
County’s
community
partner,
Avalon
Healing
Center.
Avalon
Healing
Center
is the
only
organization
in
Southeast
Michigan
that
offers
free
comprehensive
medical
services,
traditional
counseling,
legal
advocacy
services,
and
alternative
healing
therapies
for
sexual
assault
survivors.
Since
the rape
kits
were
discovered
in 2009,
Prosecutor
Worthy’s
office
has
investigated
and
closed
more
than
4,800 of
these
cases,
resulting
in 239
convictions,
with 40
states
impacted,
and 841
suspected
serial
offenders
identified.
(See
Appendix
A-
Detroit
Sexual
Assault
Kit
Initiative
Timeline
in
separate
attachment.)
*Rape
Kit Info
Line and
MyRapeKit.com
website
are
funded
from
private
donations.
and
administrated
by the
Detroit
Crime
Commission.
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