Rape Crisis England & Wales are concerned about self-swab ‘rape kits’ being marketed or seen as a way for survivors to seek confirmation that they’ve been assaulted, collect evidence of this, or deter perpetrators.

We understand the frustration many people feel about the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in England and Wales – including on campus. We also understand that the systems in place currently don’t always support survivors in the way that they should.

Although a self-swab kit might seem like a good idea, evidence collection needs to be done in a safe and legally compliant way for it to have most use in criminal trials. There is far more evidence than DNA which is relevant in a situation where a survivor chooses to pursue criminal justice, and which can and should be collected if that’s the right option for her.

More importantly, survivors need specialist, trauma-informed support to help them understand their options in the short, medium and longer term after rape or any form of sexual abuse.

We believe every survivor deserves:

• The chance to decide what’s right for them—in their own time and with the right information about their options.
• Free, expert-led medical and forensic care, if they want this.