I Honestly Think That It’s a Bit of a Double-Edged Sword": Stakeholder Experiences Before and After SAKI Funding

• In Event: Assessing Sexual Assault Trainings and the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative

Abstract

The discovery of hundreds of thousands of untested sexual assault kits in the late 1990s and early 2000s was a watershed moment for those who had long argued that these crimes were not adequately investigated. Due to the pervasiveness of the problem in jurisdictions throughout the country, the Department of Justice launched the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) to fund jurisdiction-specific needs in testing backlogged kits. Funding eligibility required each site to establish a multidisciplinary response team (MDT) to investigate factors leading to their backlog and implement policy changes to prevent future occurrences. The present work focuses on a southeastern city that received five waves of funding to test their unsubmitted kits, improve facilities, provide specialized law enforcement training, and prosecute additional cases. Researchers interviewed members of the MDT at the start and again at the conclusion of grant funding. A consensual qualitative research analysis revealed multiple domains and categories, many of which were consistent over time. However, some themes changed in frequency and substance throughout the funding period. In this study, we present findings that demonstrate changes in the prioritization of sexual assault and concerning the impact of attitudes and biases (e.g., victim blaming, downstream orientation). Preliminary findings suggest that stakeholders believe specialized training and a dedicated sex crimes unit are beneficial. Stakeholders also supported policies that remove discretion regarding which kits are tested, thus decreasing the opportunity for personal biases to influence these decisions.

Authors

• Sarah Koon-Magnin, Christopher Newport University

• Tres Stefurak, University of South Alabama

• Victoria Dixon, University of South Alabama

• Rachel Henderson, University of South Alabama

• Hyun Kim, University of South Alabama

• Ansley Park, University of South Alabama