[Shannon]

Kansas

[throughthefire]

Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence
634 SW Harrison
Topeka, KS 66603
1-888-END ABUSE
http://www.kcsdv.org/

Allen County
Hope Unlimited, Inc.
Iola
800-498-7566 or 620-365-7566

Atchison County
DoVES (also serves Hiawatha)
800-367-7075

Barton County
Family Crisis Center
Great Bend
620-792-1885

Brown County
DoVES (Hiawatha)
800-367-7075

STOP Violence (Reserve)
785-742-0053

Butler County
Family Life Center
800-870-6967

Cowley County
Safe Homes
620-221-4357

Crawford County
Crisis Resource Center of Southeast Kansas, Inc
Pittsburg
800-794-9148

Douglas County
Women’s Transitional Care Services
800-770-3030 or 785-843-3333
http://www.sunflower.com/~wtcs/

GaDuGi SafeCenter
785-841-2345
http://www.rvss.org/

Ellis County
Northwest Kansas Domestic and Sexual Violence Services
Hays
800-794-4624 or 785-625-3055

Finney County
Family Crisis Services
Garden City
620-275-5911

Ford County
Crisis Center of Dodge City
Dodge City
620-225-6510

Franklin County
Women’s Transitional Care Services
800-770-3030 or 785-843-3333
http://www.sunflower.com/~wtcs/

Geary County
The Crisis Center (Junction City)
800-727-2785

Grant County
DoVES
620-356-2608

Harvey County
DV/SA Task Force
800-487-0510

Jackson County
Friends of Yates Joyce Williams Center
Kansas City
913-321-0951
http://www.friendsof...s.org/index.htm

Prairie Band Pottawatomie Family Violence Prevention Program
Mayetta
866-966-0173

Johnson County
Safehome Inc.
Overland Park
913-262-2868
http://www.safehome-ks.org/

Lyon County
S.O.S. Inc.
Emporia
800-825-1295 or 620-342-1870
http://www.soskansas.com/

Leavenworth County
Alliance Against Family Violence
Leavenworth (also serves Tonganoxie)
913-682-9131
http://www.aafv.net/

McPherson County
DV Violence Center
800-701-3630

Miami County
Safe Home
888-432-4300
http://www.safehome-ks.org/

Montgomery County
Crisis Resource Center of Southeast Kansas, Inc.
Coffeyville
888-320-7218

Reno County
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Center
Hutchinson (also serves McPherson)
800-701-3630

Riley County
The Crisis Center, Inc
Manhattan (also serves Junction City)
800-727-2785

Saline County
Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas
Salina
800-874-1499
http://www.dvack.org/

Seward County
Rape Crisis and DV Services
Liberal
620-624-8818

Shawnee County
YWCA Battered Women Task Force
Topeka
Daytime: 785-354-7927
Evening and Weekend: 785-234-3300
Outside Topeka: 1-888-822-2983
http://www.ywcatopeka.org

Sherman County
NW Family Shelter
Goodland
800-794-4624

Sedgwick County
Harbor House
Wichita
316-263-6000
http://www.wkscathol...arborhouse.html

Step Stone
Wichita
316-265-1611
http://www.stepstoneks.org/

YWCA Women’s Crisis Center
Wichita
316-267-7233
http://www.ywcaofwichita.org/

Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center
Wichita
(316) 263-3002 or (316) 263-0185
http://www.wichitasac.com/index.html

[survivor]

This is a freelance reporter whom I had contacted about my case. He might be a possible resource for survivors who's crime occurred within the State of Kansas (a different state than where my crime occurred).

He indicated that although today the local police might send all rape kits for DNA testing and entered into CODIS, there still remains the possibility of older rape kits that were taken before DNA testing that may be somewhere. This is something that he is working on.

He can only cover cases in Kansas (not where my crime occurred) and said that he "would certianly be interested in ways to get in touch with rape victims in Kansas who have had similar problems getting prosecution/testing. If you have contact with such people through your networks, please make my contact info. available. Anonymity can be guaranteed if requested."

He can be contacted at:

Shaun Hittle
Lawrence Journal-World
x99hittle@hotmail.com
Cell # 269-370-7633

Here is an excerpt of what I emailed him (modified for anonymity and deletion of superfulous information). But it lets you know the context of "get in touch with rape victims in Kansas who have had similar problems getting prosecution/testing".

Note: I do NOT know the statutes of limitations on crimes committed in the State of Kansas. I only researched them for the state where my crime occurred.

Quote

The citizens of <another state> are being told by the police and the Prosecuting Attorney's office that the prosecution of NO crime can be commenced after 3 years unless it is a homicide. When I contacted the sex crimes division of the police department I was told that the statute of limitations (both THEN and NOW) had expired. The same thing was believed by the Prosecuting Attorneys office. The ONLY sex crimes division that I contacted who knew that a prosecution against forcible rape and forcible sodomy could be commenced at any time was a "cold case SEX crimes division" in another town.

There are thousands of other survivors who had a rape kit done where their cases might be solved if:

(1) The survivor knew to contact the police now that DNA can be sampled from an old rape kit and to NOT believe the police when they are told that no sex crime can be prosecuted after 3 years,
(2) Future victims will know when they are victimized that they can pursue prosecution at a date beyond 3 years,
(3) The police of the state of <another State> be knowledgeable of what sex crimes can still be prosecuted so that they don't give out INCORRECT information to survivors. And that they themselves will take it upon themselves to look for a rape kit when a survivor contacts them, and
(4) The Prosecuting Attorney's offices throughout the state of <another state> must have their lawyers know what the laws are.

The citizens of the state of <another state> have a RIGHT to the correct information. And the police and the prosecuting attorney's offices have the OBLIGATION, at a minimum, to give the correct information out when a survivor of a rape contacts them to ask to have their rape kit tested. They were courageous enough to go to the police and face them. Courageous enough to endure the hospital and the medical procedures. The least that the judicial system can do is to inform them as their RIGHTS as a VICTIM.

Currently, at least in <deleted county>, even if they had the funding to test "old" rape kits they don't do them because they say it is a waste of time and money because the perpetrator can no longer be prosecuted for the crime after 3 years.

How many people like myself contact the police or the Prosecuting Attorney and are told as I was to, "Forget it. It's been more than 3 years."? When who knows how many of those survivors' rape kits could be brought out of storage and tested and cold hits made in CODIS. Just matching ONE rape kit can not only give one survivor some closure which she deserves after being willing to go through the police and hospital procedures after a kidnapping and rape (especially when it was a stranger where we don't know who this perpetrator is and live in fear of him knowing us, yet we have no idea who he is). But not only can it possibly bring some closure to a survivor through at least "knowing" who it was. Maybe getting a conviction for those survivors who are fighting mad and willing to go through the trial process. BUT if one survivor's perpetrator is caught and taken off of the streets, how many other women, boys and girls, and even men might be saved the tragedy of becoming another one of that perpetrator's victim?

There is so much that society can gain from not only rape kits being tested. But also from the public (and judicial system) knowing what the laws are so that cold sex cases can be pursued. This will benefit not only survivors. But also those who have not yet been victimized. Because a rapist may have his DNA sitting in a warehouse untested and thus is still undetected and out committing more rapes. And who's mother, daughter, wife, son will be their next victim? When they might be able to be convicted and sentenced BEFORE they are able to commit another 1, 50, or 150 more rapes (or ultimately murders) and thus create that many more victims and the aftermath for that victim and the victim's family and society.

This post has been edited by survivor: 15 September 2008 - 01:30 PM