3.31.2009

city of angels

12,669.

that is the number of untested (unprocessed evidence) rape kits sitting in L.A. County's police storage facilities.

12,669 women who were raped, who underwent 4-6 hour long rape exams that ended up being pointless.

12,669 women who were raped, whose attackers were not procesuted for their crimes, because the county left the evidence to sit for years (possibly, too many years- the 10-year statute of limitations may come into effect with some of these rape kits) without sending them to the lab for DNA testing.

12,669 women who were subject to the most demeaning, horrific crime, have been wronged again, by their own justice system. and the worst part is- this didn't have to happen- new york city successfully addressed this issue, and eliminated their backlog of rape kits. there really is no excuse.

what other violent crime would receive this little attention, this lax treatment, this complete lack of effort to prosecute?

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