Natasha Alexenko, who became a powerful advocate for ending the national backlog of rape-kit testing after suffering dual traumas of assault and kit neglect, died on Oct. 31.
As I lay trembling on the cold examination table, I assumed my rape kit would be tested immediately. Why else would I endure such a painful, invasive exam?
Ms. Alexenko discovered that she was not alone in losing precious time to have her attacker identified, as 17,000 rape kits were untested in NYC.
New York State abolished the statute for first-degree rape in 2006, but Natasha’s case illustrates the devastating consequences of delayed justice.
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