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Are Women Being Denied Justice?

Monday 27 April 2009

by: NOW, t r u t h o u t | Programming Note

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Thousands of rape kits remain frozen - and untested - in the Los Angeles County Police Department. (Photo: Ted Soqui)

    This week's "NOW" on PBS:

    Are women being denied justice? "NOW" investigates the enormous backlog in rape cases. Watch the show for yourself RIGHT NOW.

    A terrible statistic: one in six women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. But an even more shocking reality: A backlog in processing rape kits - crucial evidence in arresting violent predators - is delaying and sometimes denying justice for tens of thousands of American women. "NOW" travels to Los Angeles County to investigate why it has the largest known rape kit backlog in the country - over 12,000 kits are sitting untested in police storage facilities. An internal audit found that more than 50 of these cases have exceeded the ten-year statute of limitations on rape.

    "The evidence that we're talking about represents human lives," Los Angeles Controller Laura Chick tells "NOW." "Those are lives stacked up on the shelves waiting for justice."

    "NOW" talks with courageous rape survivors and law enforcement experts for insight and answers in this disturbing but important report. Are these women being victimized twice? Next on "NOW."

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Comments

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You can blame corporate

 Tue, 04/28/2009 - 06:54 — Edensasp (not verified)
You can blame corporate profiteering on the suffrage of human lives for this atrocity. Nothing more, nothing less. The technology is there. Our government should be implementing these technological tools against crime and bringing criminals to accountability just as they use automobiles to transport criminals to court and prison.

What is “NOW’s”

 Tue, 04/28/2009 - 13:57 — Anonymous (not verified)
What is “NOW’s” problem? It is sexism not to mention in this summary the PERSON who actually did the investigative work to expose this horrendous reality for thousands of women. Now’s Senior Correspondent is Maria Hinojosa who deserves recognition for her work on this and other vital issues.