Please note: This email contains language that references sexual assault.
My name is Leah Griffin and I was raped in 2014. Like a victim of any crime, I wanted justice. But not only did I struggle to find a hospital that would provide a sexual assault kit to collect important forensic evidence, once I did find one I struggled to convince law enforcement to test it.
I learned that my story was not unusual. You may have read news stories about many law enforcement agencies across the country failing to test these sexual assault kits. In some cases, the detectives don’t believe the victims, or decide the case will be too hard to prove.
Many of these kits sat untested on the shelves of local law enforcement agencies for years – even decades. The number of untested sexual assault kits in Washington state alone grew to more than 10,000.
But Bob Ferguson listened to my story – and many others. He partnered with survivors and other stakeholders to develop a plan — and after years of work, Washington State’s backlog of sexual assault kits has finally been cleared and tested.1
- The Spokesman-Review, Oct. 27, 2023
Thanks to Bob’s leadership, all of the DNA evidence from these tests is now stored in a national database and used by law enforcement to solve crimes. Victims' voices are being heard and crimes are being solved. For example, 21 violent sexual assaults and cold cases have already been solved so far and those responsible are held accountable.
Bob and others have changed the culture of how we handle sexual assault kits. It used to take 14 months to test a kit. Now, all kits must be tested within 45 days, and survivors have the legal right to see where their kit is in the testing process.
This is a big deal for survivors like me, and I’m so grateful for Bob's leadership. It’s a big part of why I know he will do an outstanding job as our next Governor.
He listened to my story and acted, and I know he’ll listen to the stories of other Washingtonians.
Thank you for reading.
Leah Griffin
1 - Entire Washington State sexual assault kit backlog sent for testing, 21 cases solved
