Across the state, 20% of women and 3% of men have experienced some form of sexual assault, officials say.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ The U.S. Department of Justice awarded North Carolina more than $2 million in federal funding to process rape kits and prevent future backlogs, Rep. Deborah Ross announced on Monday.ย
โSexual assault survivors have endured unimaginable pain and trauma,โ Ross said in a statement. โAt the very least, they deserve access to fair and swift justice. Under the leadership of Governor Stein and Attorney General Jackson, North Carolina has made tremendous progress to address our stateโs rape kit backlog that has left some survivors waiting years โ or even decades โ to see their day in court. I will continue fighting for federal funding and policies that will ensure all survivors can seek justice.โ
Across the state, 20% of women and 3% of men have experienced some form of sexual assault, Gov. Josh Stein said last April. One of Stein’s key accomplishments during his time as Attorney General was ending the backlog of untested rape kits in North Carolina. Stein said over 250 arrests were made as a result of ending the rape kit backlog.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault and are looking for guidance or support, there is help out there.ย You can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE, which is available 24/7 and offers a range of free services.ย
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