Comments on: In the News: the Rape Kit Backlog in Texas http://endthebacklog.org/blog/?p=230 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:30:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: write4recovery http://endthebacklog.org/blog/?p=230#comment-833 write4recovery Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:47:23 +0000 http://endthebacklog.org/blog/?p=230#comment-833 My name is Sarah- I wrote the comment above. I ended up writing an e-mail directing to Houston Mayor Annise Parker. This is what I wrote: "Mayor Parker, My name is Sarah Henderson. I live in Cypress and recently I read that there was a new forensic lab being built in my area. I also read about the one at Sam Houston University that is currently being used to test for toxicology- but not DNA. This is incredibly frustrating to me. I was a rape victim. From the ages of 3 to 9 my father raped and molested me. When I was 16, I was raped by a stranger. Like many victims, I did not report these crimes until years later when it was to late to prosecute. I never got justice- if there even is justice for rape, which I still question. Thousands of women and children (and men too) are not getting justice either because the rape kits that they went through the re-traumatizing and humiliating process of collecting are sitting in police storage units, degrading as we speak. My hope is that you will push for this new lab AND for the Sam Houston lab to begin testing for DNA in order to help clear the backlog of rape kits and begin prosecution on sexual assault cases in this county. This is an article from the website Endthebacklog.com. In the News: the Rape Kit Backlog in Texas I appreciate your time and attention to this issue. Sincerely, Sarah Henderson" Today I received an official, yet terribly unsatisfying response from her: "Dear Ms. Henderson: I regret to hear of your experience during your youth and adolescence. I, too, am very concerned about the rape kit backlog and am working to have an independent lab in Houston. Sincerely, Annise D. Parker Mayor" So...whatever. My name is Sarah- I wrote the comment above. I ended up writing an e-mail directing to Houston Mayor Annise Parker. This is what I wrote: “Mayor Parker,

My name is Sarah Henderson. I live in Cypress and recently I read that there was a new forensic lab being built in my area. I also read about the one at Sam Houston University that is currently being used to test for toxicology- but not DNA. This is incredibly frustrating to me. I was a rape victim. From the ages of 3 to 9 my father raped and molested me. When I was 16, I was raped by a stranger. Like many victims, I did not report these crimes until years later when it was to late to prosecute. I never got justice- if there even is justice for rape, which I still question. Thousands of women and children (and men too) are not getting justice either because the rape kits that they went through the re-traumatizing and humiliating process of collecting are sitting in police storage units, degrading as we speak. My hope is that you will push for this new lab AND for the Sam Houston lab to begin testing for DNA in order to help clear the backlog of rape kits and begin prosecution on sexual assault cases in this county.

This is an article from the website Endthebacklog.com. In the News: the Rape Kit Backlog in Texas

I appreciate your time and attention to this issue.

Sincerely,
Sarah Henderson”

Today I received an official, yet terribly unsatisfying response from her: “Dear Ms. Henderson:

I regret to hear of your experience during your youth and adolescence. I, too, am very concerned about the rape kit backlog and am working to have an independent lab in Houston.

Sincerely,
Annise D. Parker
Mayor”

So…whatever.

]]> By: Sarah http://endthebacklog.org/blog/?p=230#comment-777 Sarah Thu, 10 Feb 2011 04:28:30 +0000 http://endthebacklog.org/blog/?p=230#comment-777 I live just outside of Houston and as it turns out, a new city forensic lab is being built in my neighborhood. I have been trying to contact the mayor in hopes of convincing her that this lab needs to be used to work on the rape kit backlog, but so far it's been frustrating. The comments I tried to post about this on her web site were not "approved" to be posted so I'm trying to find other avenues to reach her. I live just outside of Houston and as it turns out, a new city forensic lab is being built in my neighborhood. I have been trying to contact the mayor in hopes of convincing her that this lab needs to be used to work on the rape kit backlog, but so far it’s been frustrating. The comments I tried to post about this on her web site were not “approved” to be posted so I’m trying to find other avenues to reach her.

]]> By: Tweets that mention In the News: the Rape Kit Backlog in Texas -- Topsy.com http://endthebacklog.org/blog/?p=230#comment-776 Tweets that mention In the News: the Rape Kit Backlog in Texas -- Topsy.com Thu, 10 Feb 2011 03:34:19 +0000 http://endthebacklog.org/blog/?p=230#comment-776 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by tanya whitney and Samantha, Joyful Heart Found.. Joyful Heart Found. said: New on the Backlog Blog: In the News: the Rape Kit Backlog in Texas http://bit.ly/eFVAcX [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by tanya whitney and Samantha, Joyful Heart Found.. Joyful Heart Found. said: New on the Backlog Blog: In the News: the Rape Kit Backlog in Texas http://bit.ly/eFVAcX [...]

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