Attorney General orders Me Too Kits to stop selling at-home sex assault kits in Michigan

Attorn ey General orders Me Too Kits to stop selling at-home sex assault kits in Michigan

Those of you that know me, know that I do not post for stars, flags, attention, or just for the sake of posting. I try to make my posts count, and I try to bring something to the table.

I am so hesitant about posting this information because the information is so sensitive, and I am very limited on what I can personally share. However, this is so important that I feel I would be remiss if I did not warn those that may not be aware that these items exist, and just how dangerous they are.

The company claims the items are not yet available and are placing those that order the kits on a waiting list. Regardless to whether they are actually sending out these kits or not, they are taking advantage of individuals at one of the lowest points of their lives.

It remains a constant undying myth that a Forensic Nurse's job is to collect evidence. While collecting evidence is a small part of my job, it is not by any means the most important part of my job. After just spending the last two days taking care of patients that have been sexually assaulted, victims of kidnapping, victims of intimate partner and domestic violence, it is without hesitation that I tell you that collecting evidence was the last of my concerns when dealing with victims of these kind of trauma.

If anyone knew the amount of scrutiny and critiquing a Forensic Nurse has to go through every time a case goes to court, they would know that there is no way the samples collected with one of these kits will ever be allowed in a courtroom. Reporting a rape and going through what may be a difficult process and ordeal is hard, nobody wants to go through it. I see this as only another money grubbing, greedy attempt to ride on the tails of the #metoo movement, and to take advantage of those at a moment of weakness, when their defenses are at their lowest.

Please don't buy these kits. They will not help in any way, and will likely greatly hinder the case if it ever goes to court.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Sounds more like a frame a man kit..

Pound me too will not be happy..

I feel your concerns and if I understood this correctly, these are swab kits so basically the victim can do the swab?
.
I guess there are other things to consider like scratches, micro scratches... This should always be done by a medical trained person. There is so much more to it than just taking the evidence. Where is the medical overview and after care, where is the mental support?


I agree with you, thank you for getting out of your way

a reply to: Bluntone22

That concern was on my mind too, even as a women.

a reply to: Bluntone22
I am more concerned about the DNA of innocent men ending up in a database for sexual offenders than anything.

a reply to: Oleandra88
Collecting the swabs is indeed not the most important part of a exam, that is one of the reasons that it is usually left as the last part of the process.

Every case is different. Even if it is the same victim with the same or a different assailant. I never touch a patient until I have assessed the patient for the possible need of physical or mental treatment prior to the exam. The need for physical and or mental health care takes precedence over evidence collection.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Forgive my ignorance, but I have not heard of such a kit. So to clarify, the kit is an in-home rape kit? I understand that a properly performed rape kit done so by a professional hold great value in a criminal case, but also I've always been lead to believe that chain of custody is of equal or greater importance? This does seem very predatoricle. Seems like any good high paid attorney could have such a thing thrown out. Sexual assailant to me are the lowest of low, and I agree this could help them continue their destruction even longer, thanks for bringing this to light.

a reply to: Oppositeoftruth
Chain of custody is used quite heavily in a court of law. It is not uncommon for the defense attorney to use that as a means to get evidence thrown out of court.

And you are right, any defense attorney on the planet would be able to get any results obtained by one of these "at home rape kits", thrown out of court. Yet what happens to the DNA collected and sitting in a database somewhere, and will it end up in CODIS or NDIS?

CODIS is the acronym for the Combined DNA Index System and is the generic term used to describe the FBI’s program of support for criminal justice DNA databases as well as the software used to run these databases. The National DNA Index System or NDIS is considered one part of CODIS, the national level, containing the DNA profiles contributed by federal, state, and local participating forensic laboratories.

NDIS is the acronym for the “National DNA Index System” and is one part of CODIS—the national level—containing the DNA profiles contributed by federal, state, and local participating forensic laboratories. NDIS was implemented in October 1998. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, the federal government, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory, and Puerto Rico participate in NDIS.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn




SMH

This is going to go over as well as a home vasectomy kit or the ever popular home ablation kit for endometriosis.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

As a life long resident of Michigan, I am happy to see state officials doing whats right for a change.
It really doesn’t happen often.

a reply to: DBCowboy
DC you never fail to crack me up.

Unfortunately, it is carrying the #metoo stamp of approval, so many will be conned into believing it is legit, and that it will empower them.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Sounds more like a frame a man kit..

Pound me too will not be happy..

I don't think so... In practice, it sounds more like a get out of jail free card for rapists.

Given that the kits are (probably rightfully) inadmissible in court, and will most likely be used in lieu of a legally admissible rape exam, it would seem more likely that the guilty will go free than anyone using it to "prove" a false rape charge.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

So many implications... some quite worrisome -- for genuine victims, and genuine rapists, and the genuinely innocent, and the lying liars.

Given that this could be result in an obstruction of justice in various ways, I wonder if they could be criminally charged, as well as civilly sued.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn
In my opinion, the me too movement has done more to de-legetimize sexual assault than current artist have to delegetimize music today. Anything that gains enough traction as a hashtag to where I've heard of it, I almost immediately dismiss it, which is sad given the seriousness and regularity of such offenses.

Why are these kits limited to women only? Just asking. Equality and all.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Sounds more like a frame a man kit.. Pound me too will not be happy..

I'm with you. But first what kind of a mind makes preparations
for sexual assault? Or am I missing something here. Because it
seems to me the company could go nasdaq selling these things
to women with nefarious intent. And don't try to tell me such
women are a rarity I know better. There are tons of crazy ass
folk out there.

originally posted by: TheGreatWork
Why are these kits limited to women only? Just asking. Equality and all.

I wish ta hell I would've said that!

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

I agree, there has to be properly acquired evidence before it can be used in court. I also could see someone setting up someone with these kits, that kind of behavior by women ruins it for legitimate rape victims.

These kits should not be sold, women who were assaulted need to go to the hospital and get things done correctly.

a reply to: rickymouse

Agreed. I understand there may be some apprehension for a woman that was assaulted. But these kits are meaningless(legally, I assume) and NOT the route with which someone should take.

It's preying on shame and privacy for money, the company should be absolutely ashamed of itself.

If you, either man or woman, are a victim of assault(sexual) then you should seek legal(police) and medical(hospital) assistance immediately.

The apparent stigma that is portrayed to prevent victims from doing so is absolutely some false narrative perpetuated by people that have zero care about you.

Report it, seek help and do not think you are to blame in any way.

ETA: I was actively seeking to not comment on ATS tonight(my how boring it seems around here without me....) but this topic is ridiculous. Nobody should feel that the avenues available to them are something to avoid.

Well of course they discontinued them.

You can't have crazies running around with Kits that help them commit sexual assault.

Next, they'll be selling Home Burglary Kits for the discerning Burglar...

Who thought of that?



/j