SB 215 Lets Sexual Assault Survivors Track the Results of Their Rape Kits

California Senate Bill 215 (“SB 215”) allows California sexual assault survivors to track their rape kits anonymously by using California’s SAFE-T database portal. SB 215 can help survivors obtain justice for sexual assault, and consulting with a California sexual assault attorney may make it easier for you to reach the legal outcome you are seeking.

SB 215 can help sexual assault survivors

What is SB 215?

SB 215 is a bill that created the survivor portal within California’s SAFE-T database portal, allowing sexual assault survivors to anonymously check the status, location, and processing updates on their rape kit.

How long does the state of California hold onto rape kits?

The state of California requires that all rape kits from unsolved cases be held for at least twenty years. Or, alternatively, up until the survivor’s fortieth birthday, if they were sexually assaulted before turning eighteen.

 

For example, if you were twenty-five years old when you reported your sexual assault to a local police station and they made a rape kit, they cannot dispose of this rape kit until you are forty-five.

 

Every rape kit serves as useful evidence that can be used to help put assailants behind bars. On top of that, survivors can work with a sexual assault attorney and use the evidence from their rape kit to obtain compensation.

What about AB 2777?

AB 2777 is a bill that extends the statute of limitations for sexual assault lawsuits in California. You can, as a result of AB 2777, file a sexual assault lawsuit up until December 31, 2026, for assaults that occurred any time on or after January 1, 2009.

Just as an example, if you were sexually assaulted in December of 2015, you can file a sexual assault lawsuit against this person up until December 31, 2026. By filing this sexual assault lawsuit, you may be able to obtain compensation for the violence you endured.

What survivors can do

Track rape kits using the SAFE-T database portal

You can track rape kits using the SAFE-T database portal. To do this, you need two pieces of information: the unique ID for your rape kit, as well as the name of the agency that is currently holding/investigating the kit.

 

If you do not have this information, you may need to contact the agency that developed/collected your rape kit. But if you do have this information, you can log in and input it. And then, you can track the kit using SAFE-T.

 

The state of California’s SAFE-T database portal mostly tracks rape kits that were collected on/after January 1, 2018. This means that, if your kit was developed/collected before then, you will need to contact the agency directly.

Report to police or rape crisis centers

Survivors can always visit their local police station to report their sexual assault. The police will file a report and, in most cases, trained healthcare professionals develop a rape kit. But, if you do not want to visit a police station, there are rape crisis centers you can visit to complete a forensic medical exam. They may also help you report your assault to law enforcement.

If you are in Los Angeles, you can visit LA’s rape treatment center, which is a part of UCLA. You can also call them at 424-259-7208. They will give you the medical care you need and help you make a rape kit. There are other rape crisis centers that you can visit if this one is too far away.

Preserve evidence

To obtain justice for a sexual assault, you should preserve the evidence. Some of the ways you can preserve this evidence are as follows:

• Avoid washing the clothes you wore during the assault.
• Do not shower until a rape kit has been collected.
• Avoid brushing your teeth and washing your body.
• Hold onto any condoms, towels, or items that were used.
• Backup any digital evidence – texts, for example – related to the assault.

Preserving evidence can help the prosecution make an effective case against the person who assaulted you. On top of that, a sexual assault attorney can use this evidence to:

• Demonstrate that a sexual assault did occur.
• Prove that a particular individual was responsible for this sexual assault.
• Demonstrate the losses/damages you sustained as aresult of the sexual assault.
• Help you obtain damages for the sexual assault.

Know your rights

You have the right to report the person who sexually assaulted you. For crimes listed in SB 813—including “rape, sodomy, lewd or lascivious acts, continuous sexual abuse of a child, oral copulation, and sexual penetration, that are committed under certain circumstances”—if the assault occurred on or after January 1, 2017, there is no statute of limitations governing when criminal charges must be filed. For example, in the case of a rape that happened on January 8th of 2017, the victim can still file a report against the individual.

You can work with a sexual assault attorney to pursue a lawsuit against those who have hurt you. This lawsuit can help you obtain compensation for the violence you survived.

Seek legal help for civil claims

To obtain compensation for a sexual assault you survived, you may want to think about working with a sexual assault attorney.

Our legal team at Taylor & Ring has helped many survivors obtain compensation for what they endured. We are ready to look at your case and file a lawsuit that gets results. You can contact us through our online form.