In the aftermath of a sexual assault, survivors have the choice to undergo a medical
forensic exam, a procedure which collects evidence in a sexual assault kit. Most who opt
for the medical forensic exam will have their kit collected and released to law enforcement
to support investigation of the assault.
One in five, however, will have a medical forensic exam, but not report their assault at that
time. Few of those who elect the non-report kit will ever convert their kits into a full report.
This raises questions about why survivors choose to undergo an invasive, intensive and
uncomfortable medical forensic examination following an assault, but then decide that
they do not want to see their kit processed.
Assistant Professor of Psychology Rachael Goodman-Williams seeks to answer that very
question.
Rachael Goodman-Williams
βThereβs a lot of literature on why survivors in general choose not to report,β Goodman-Williams said.
βBut thereβs very little thatβs specific to this group, the survivors who go to a hospital, have evidence
collected and then choose not to use that evidence in a case.β
The Office of Violence Against Women, a subagency of the Department of Justice,
recognized the importance of the project. It granted her and her community partner, Dr.
Jessica Volz of the Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Maryland,
$411,000 for the next three years.
She also received a subaward of $70,000 from RTI International as part of their Sexual
Assault Kit Initiative Training and Technical Assistance Project, which aims to improve
institutional sexual assault response practices.
βOur criminal-legal system has historically failed sexual assault survivors,β Goodman-Williams said.
βThere has been progress in recent decades, but it is an uphill battle, one that requires nuance and
diligent research.β
Goodman-Williams' five β yes, five β doctoral students also assist with data collection for
her research agenda.
βUltimately, my goal in research is to understand what survivors need from their
community to navigate their experience in a way that promotes healing and minimizes
harm,β Goodman-Williams said. βFrom our collective efforts, I hope to see policies that
more fully reflect the needs of sexual assault survivors in all their complexity and
±Ή²Ή°ωΎ±²Ή³ΩΎ±΄Η²Τ.β