The Dangerous Rise in Untested Rape Kits
Reporter Ralph Blumenthal unearths the rape of teenage Helena Lazaro and the vastness of countless other untested rape kits in the U.S. that go unresolved, and often uninvestigated, for years — if not ever. Since the late '90s, a national database has contained more than seven million offender profiles, but matches have been nearly impossible to make with so many untested kits. In fact, Congress estimates that today, more than 180,000 rape kits remain untested nationwide. Through interviews with Congressmen, professors, rape treatment medical centers, and Human Rights Watch, Marie Claire explores the national disgrace and hopes to shed light on a promising, but at-present lagging, system. Read more at marieclaire.com/rapekits.