According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, rape is the most underreported crime. Most victims do not report incidents of sexual assault because of fear, including the fear of police failing to such investigate cases effectively.
Now, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is rolling out a tracking program, for survivors of sexual assault. The agency says the Track-Kit system, will alleviate backlogs and provide accountability for survivors.
"In years past, there were kits that were still on shelves. Victim survivors thought the kits were being processed and moving through the system and were not," said superintendent of the BCA, Drew Evans.
"What this does, is it brings accountability so law enforcement, prosecutors, victim survivors, hospitals, and our laboratory know where that kit is, at any given point," he said.
The Track-Kit, uses a barcode to update information in real time. That way, survivors have 24/7, online access, about the location and status of their kit.
For those with privacy concerns, Superintendent Evans says there are protections in place.
"Victim survivors information is kept private and the only people that will have access to these records, are those that would normally have access," said the superintendent.
Evans adds this system is here to stay as the legislature has provided on going funding. He is also assuring the public that the BCA will take sexual assault crimes seriously and investigate such crimes with a victim centered perspective.
"This is one step to continually be striving for better outcomes, so that we have a holistic and complete approach to these investigations."