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Ohio task force to examine gaps in sexual-assault-kit reporting

More than 900 Ohio agencies did not submit sexual-assault-kit data to the state last year, despite a legal reporting requirement. A new group convened by the attorney general’s office will investigate the disconnect and recommend changes by year’s end.

Ohio task force to examine gaps in sexual-assault-kit reporting
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s attorney general’s office is convening victim advocates and leaders from law enforcement and health care to investigate why hundreds of agencies are missing from the state’s sexual-assault-kit reporting data. A report found that more than 900 agencies did not submit information last year. Ohio law requires hospitals and law enforcement agencies to report sexual-assault-kit data to the attorney general’s office. The Columbus Division of Police appears on the list, even though department data show more than 400 kits were used in cases last year. A police spokesperson said no one was available to discuss the issue. Several OhioHealth locations were also listed. Sara Johnson, a forensic nurse coordinator, said the health system logs each kit it collects and enters the information into the attorney general’s tracking system. She said the process records who collected evidence, when and where it was collected, and the steps that followed. The working group, which includes representatives from Columbus police and OhioHealth, will examine the reporting system and consider ways to simplify it and improve agency participation. Its first meeting is expected in the coming weeks, with a report and recommendations for state lawmakers due by the end of the year. Emily Gemar, public policy director for the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, said listing agencies that fail to report is not enough. She called for stronger accountability and said changes should clarify where problems are occurring and ensure survivors’ perspectives are represented. Reliable reporting on kits matters to survivors seeking transparency about how evidence is handled and whether it is entered into the state’s system. The group’s review is intended to identify where reporting is breaking down and what changes could address it.

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