Sexual Assault is one of the most underreported crimes in the United States.<\/p>\n
Data from RAINN<\/a> also states approximately four out of every five victims know their perpetrator, which makes the situation even more unnerving for the victim.<\/p>\n To some of the victims it becomes less about physical injury and more about dominance and control. If a victim denies it, maybe it didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n However, this is not the only \u00a0reason these crimes go unreported.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI used to believe in the legal system until I got raped,\u201d survivor Samantha Smith said*.<\/p>\n During her sophomore year of college, Smith was sexually assaulted by someone she knew at a party.<\/p>\n Smith said, after hours of being encouraged by friends, she went to the hospital to be examined (in the case of sexual assault this includes a rape kit).<\/p>\n \u201cThe rape kit itself is very invasive,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThey search your entire body, scraping and searching. It almost feels as if you are going through the terrible experience again, but for a couple of hours.\u201d<\/p>\n A rape examination is performed by, when available, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) a provider.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is our job to contact the police to do further investigation,\u201d SANE and Pediatric Quality Coordinator at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Peoria, Stefanie Clark said. \u201cWe take sexual assault cases very seriously, so we hope that police do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith assumed the kit would be immediately processed via the legal channels and after the police interrogation. It was not.<\/p>\n \u201cMy assault happened over a year ago,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI am still waiting on results.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith is not alone. According to the Chicago Tribune<\/a>, 4000 rape kits collected between the years of 2009 and 2012 were left untested by numerous Illinois police departments dating back decades.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has gotten better in the past few years,\u201d Registered Nurse at Swedish Covenant hospital in Chicago Margaret Simmons said, \u201cbut it can still take a year to complete the process.\u201d<\/p>\n As old kits were being disposed of, new rape kits arrived. This created a new backlog, which concerns advocates like Sarah Layden of Rape Victim Advocates.<\/p>\n \u201cThe major backlog reduces the chances to solve cases in a timely manner,\u201d Director of Advocacy Services Chicago Rape, Sarah Layden said. \u201cThe victim does not have an access to their results, so it just becomes a waiting game.\u201d<\/p>\n Currently victims, like Smith, could be waiting up to two years before hearing whether or not they have a case.<\/p>\n Even then, the hurdles continue.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter the rape kit has been tested and DNA has been found, the state doesn\u2019t go ahead with these cases,\u201d Layden said. \u201cThe police feel there is a lack of evidence or an inability to identify the perpetrator.\u201d<\/p>\n This flaw in the justice system allows the perpetrator to avoid punishment and commit the crime again.<\/p>\n \u201cMost people base real life off television shows like \u2018CSI\u2019 or \u2018Judge Judy,\u2019 Medical Advocacy Coordinator at the Center for Prevention of Abuse Peoria, Nancee Brown said.\u201cThey think there should be ripped clothes and visible bruises, which is completely ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n As most sexual assault cases do not result in external physical injuries most prosecutors will take a while investigating the situation, worsening the harm to the victim.<\/p>\n Even then, prosecutors may find there is no sufficient evidence to go forward with the trial, making the situation even more traumatizing.<\/p>\n \u201cIt breaks my heart to know justice may not be served,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI sometime wonder if I should even go forward with the report or just let it go.\u201d<\/p>\n The tedious process does not allow the victim to fully heal, especially with their alleged perpetrator roaming free.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a long road ahead of us,\u201d said Layden. \u201cThere has to be serious amendments put in place to make major progress.\u201d<\/p>\n Nurses in Illinois and Smith are hoping the state budget in 2017 will allow the process to run smoother.<\/p>\n \u201cAlong with this budget,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cIn the next several months Illinois State Police will begin to ship hundreds of cases to outside venders to cut down on wait time.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith said she hopes the increased budget will move her case along and her perpetrator will brought to justice.<\/p>\n \u201cThis haul is a long one,\u201d Brown said. \u201cThis process should be taken very seriously. Rape is rape, and it shouldn\u2019t happen to anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n *For the sake of \u00a0the survivor’s privacy, the name was changed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Watch this video and learn more about how Bradley views Sexual Assault.<\/p>\n
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