AG Tong Advises Caution Regarding “Do-it-yourself Rape Kits”
Attorney General William Tong recently issued warnings that the “MeToo,” “PRESERVE” and other “do-it-yourself” rape kits being marketed and sold in Connecticut may not provide a victim with full legal protection and could destroy vital evidence.
In a statement on his state website, Attorney General Tong wrote, “Contrary to their representations, there is no guarantee that any evidence self-collected by these DIY kits complies with Connecticut standards or will ever be admissible in court. Use of these kits could permanently hinder a survivor’s ability to seek justice.”
Instead of relying on one of these at home hits, victims of sexual assault or rape should seek professional medical attention as soon as possible. Connecticut and federal law set very specific guidelines for evidence collection and chain of custody and hospital staff are specifically trained to sensitively collect any needed samples.
If you are the victim of sexual assault, please seek professional help as soon as possible. Local and State Police and emergency services can be reached at any time by dialing 9-1-1. If you are unable to speak for any reason you can also text 9-1-1 for help.
Local and State Police: 9-1-1
Statewide sexual assault hotline: 1-888-999-5545 (English) or 1-888-568-8332 (Spanish)
MidState Medical Center
435 Lewis Ave, Meriden, CT 06451
Yale New Haven Hospital
20 York St, New Haven, CT 06510
Middlesex Hospital
28 Crescent St, Middletown, CT 06457
Connecticut’s 211 – https://uwc.211ct.org/sexual-assault/
For More Information:
Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence: https://endsexualviolencect.org/
National Sexual Violence Resource Center: http://www.nsvrc.org
National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women: https://vawnet.org/
Men Can Stop Rape: http://www.mencanstoprape.org
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network: http://www.rainn.org