A rape kit, formally called a sexual assault evidence collection kit, is a box of supplies used to gather DNA and other physical evidence from a survivor’s body after a sexual assault. It contains swabs, envelopes, containers for blood and urine, and materials for documenting injuries. The collection process is a medical exam that typically takes several hours, and the survivor controls every step of it.
What’s Physically Inside the Kit
The kit itself is a standardized box or package containing individual collection tools, each designed to recover a specific type of evidence. The core contents include:
- Cotton swabs for collecting DNA from the mouth, genitals, anus, and any other body areas where the perpetrator may have left biological material
- Pre-labeled envelopes and bags for each collection site, keeping samples separate and uncontaminated
- A buccal swab (a cheek swab from the survivor) to provide a reference DNA sample so the lab can distinguish the survivor’s DNA from anyone else’s
- Containers for clothing, particularly undergarments, which are collected in paper bags rather than plastic to prevent moisture from degrading evidence
- Supplies for documenting injuries, including a ruler for measurement and materials for photography
Kits also include general medical supplies like gloves, face masks, sterile water, and a speculum for internal examination. A specialized dye can be applied to skin to reveal micro-injuries not visible to the naked eye, and an alternative light source helps detect biological fluids on skin or clothing. When drug-facilitated assault is suspected, gray-top blood tubes and a tamper-resistant urine container are added to test for substances the survivor may have been given.
What Happens During the Exam
The exam is performed by a trained healthcare professional, often a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE). These are registered nurses with specialized forensic training, typically a minimum of 40 hours of instruction plus a clinical apprenticeship, specifically focused on evidence collection and trauma-informed care. Their primary responsibility is to the patient, not to law enforcement.
The process follows a general sequence. It begins with a medical forensic history, where the examiner asks about what happened to guide which evidence to collect. This is followed by a full-body examination looking for injuries like bruises, scratches, or bite marks, which are photographed and measured. The examiner then collects biological samples: swabbing areas of the body where the perpetrator may have left DNA through saliva, semen, skin cells, or blood. Fingernail scrapings are taken if the survivor scratched the attacker. Hair evidence may also be collected.
If drug-facilitated assault is suspected, both blood and urine specimens are collected. The urine sample doesn’t use a sterile “clean catch” method since the goal is toxicology, not infection testing. These samples can detect substances up to 96 hours after ingestion, though earlier collection yields better results.
The Survivor Controls Every Step
One of the most important things to understand about this process is that consent governs every part of it. The examiner asks permission before each step, and the survivor can skip any part or stop the exam entirely at any time. A parent, guardian, or anyone else cannot override that decision. The exam will never be forced, and a patient will never be restrained or sedated to complete it.
Having the exam does not require speaking to police. The survivor can choose to have evidence collected and then take time to decide whether to file a report. The kit is stored, and the evidence is preserved for if and when they’re ready.
Medical Care Provided During the Exam
The exam isn’t just about evidence. It’s also a medical visit. Because follow-up appointment attendance tends to be low after a sexual assault, preventive treatments are offered right away rather than waiting for test results.
Survivors are typically offered antibiotics to prevent sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas. Emergency contraception is offered when pregnancy is a possibility. Hepatitis B vaccination is given if the survivor hasn’t been previously vaccinated and the attacker’s infection status is unknown. HPV vaccination may be offered to those aged 9 to 26 who haven’t completed the vaccine series.
If there’s a risk of HIV exposure, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may be discussed. PEP needs to start as soon as possible and no later than 72 hours after the assault to be effective. It involves a 28-day course of antiviral medication, sometimes started with a shorter supply to allow time for follow-up counseling. The decision to start PEP is made case by case based on the circumstances of the assault.
Evidence Collection Timeline
Evidence can be collected up to 96 hours (four days) after an assault, though earlier collection generally yields stronger evidence. DNA degrades over time, especially if the survivor has bathed, changed clothes, or used the restroom. That said, even after those activities, usable evidence can sometimes still be recovered, so the 96-hour window still applies regardless of what happened in the interim.
If you’re within that window and considering an exam, avoid showering, brushing your teeth, eating, drinking, or changing clothes if possible. If you’ve already done any of those things, evidence collection is still worth pursuing.
Cost to the Survivor
Federal law requires that states cover the full out-of-pocket costs of a forensic exam for sexual assault survivors. This means the survivor pays nothing for the evidence collection portion of the visit, including the exam itself, any fees the facility charges, insurance deductibles, or co-pays. States are strongly discouraged from billing the survivor’s private insurance and, if they do, any amount the insurer doesn’t cover must be paid by the state. The survivor cannot be billed for any remaining balance.
How Kit Tracking Works
A persistent problem with sexual assault kits has been the lack of transparency about what happens to them after collection. Many states have responded by creating electronic tracking systems. In Ohio, for example, survivors receive a unique six-digit tracking number at the end of their exam. They can enter that number on a state website to anonymously check the status of their kit, seeing when it was transferred to law enforcement, sent to a crime lab, or analyzed. No personal information is needed to access the system, and the status updates don’t display the survivor’s name or identifying details.
Medical facilities, law enforcement agencies, and crime labs are required to log updates at each stage, creating an unbroken chain of accountability from the hospital to the courtroom. Similar tracking systems now exist in a growing number of states.