NORTH CAROLINA — A sexual assault survivor is creating a new option for victims in their fight for justice -- a rape kit they can take at home, but it comes with some controversy.
The "Me Too At-Home Sexual Assault Kit" founder, who is also a survivor, said their mission is "to help survivors who don't have the ability or are [not] willing to go to the police or the hospital to collect time-sensitive DNA evidence."
Channel 9 spoke with Tenille Banner, with Safe Alliance, about the kit.
"Well, I think it's well-intentioned," Banner said. "I still highly encourage survivors to seek out the support of the sane nurses at the hospital. The work they do goes beyond the scope of just the kit and evidence collection itself."
Banner said the nurses are highly trained, qualified medical staff.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein called the at-home sexual assault kit "dangerous" and "misleading."
"While I certainly understand that a victim might prefer to undergo a sexual assault exam at home, there are trained nurses all over our state who can conduct these exams in a way that ensures that victims get the health care they need -- and that law enforcement officers have access to evidence that is admissible in court," Stein said.
Stein's office told Channel 9 they have launched an investigation into this issue. Stein stressed that when survivors go to the hospital, it is free and police come to work with the nurses, so they can prosecute cases.
"It's always great to have an easier way to do something, but you want to make sure it's the best," Banner said.
According to the "Me Too Kit" website, a victim would need to take the kit to the police themselves and there's no guarantee the evidence collected will be admissible in court.
But, the company's founder told Channel 9's Elsa Gillis they're in the early stages of development, and they want to work with the courts and legal institutions to make it admissible in court.
The company's founder said every survivor should be encouraged to seek proper health care after an assault, but said many survivors never get the chance to go to the hospital.
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