Sexual assault kits are incredibly unreliable, and that's not even the point. Immediately after having her consent violated, you want a survivor to go to a hospital, wait in line for a doctor post-trauma, be physically violated again so... there's DNA proof, maybe? Nope, you can't actually believe that's fair or reasonable. DNA and injuries do NOT prove consent, and that's the issue here.
Consent.
False accusations happen, and they are relatively rare. Especially compared to the number of unreported assaults. It's a terrible thing to do, agreed! (Your exaggerated 20k in the UK is welcome to meet my
28,000 convicted/year -
hey! Sup friend! We mostly agree and entirely don't, conviction isn't truth and there's a burden of proof that's near impossible!)
Let's go ahead and assume more SAs aren't reported, cause that's kinda a thing where we ask women questions and demand proof (erm kinda like this thread). Necessary evil, friend. No one is trying to blatantly ignore the failures of the system; conversely, they're working with you.
I want so badly to like you; there's courage of conviction, there's activity... Please understand that "rape tests" are hugely problematic, and SorryNot, everything you've posted is full of shit.
http://www.surviverape.org/forensics/sexual-assault-forensics/rape-exam
The rape exam serves two goals: first to provide the best immediate care for the survivor, and second to collect evidence that may be used to prosecute the crime.
In order to collect evidence, a survivor must seek treatment at a hospital within 120 hours of an assault. All Massachusetts hospitals are able to provide an evidence collection tool, the Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit (SAECK), often called a "Rape Kit." The Rape Exam is the process used to collect the evidence for the Rape Kit.
The Rape Kit
The Kit is a box that contains all the neccessary materials to collect evidence.
Each Kit has a unique number assigned to it. All evidence collected will be placed in envelopes or bags and labeled with this number. The survivor will receive a copy of this number.
The Kit has 16 separate steps to collect evidence. There are detailed instructions for each step that the provider should follow.
All rape kits are brought to the Crime Lab but are only analyzed when the survivor makes a report to police.
The Rape Exam
The survivor is in control of the entire exam. Before each step of the Kit, the medical provider should explain the step and ask the survivor if they want to continue. Nothing will be done that the survivor does not agree to.
A rape exam is usually done by a doctor or nurse.
The exam may take several hours to complete. During the exam, the medical provider must remain with the Kit at all times.
The survivor can give the medical provider a verbal account of the assault. This will tell the medical provider where to look for evidence on the survivor's body.
A physical exam may be performed to assess, document, and treat injuries like bruises, lacerations, and broken bones.
The medical provider may collect samples from the survivor's mouth, vaginal and/or anal cavities, fingernails, and other parts of the body that the perpetrator touched during the assault.
The medical provider must ask the survivor if he or she had consensual (willing) sex with anyone in the past 5 days who may also have left behind DNA. This step helps law enforcement determine which DNA was left by a consensual partner and which DNA belongs to the perpetrator.
If there are signs that the survivor may have been drugged, a toxicology kit may be collected.
Clothing and undergarments may be collected as evidence during the rape exam.
Get more information about what you need to know before you go to the ER and what to expect when you get there.
