Culture & Entertainment · India Bureau
Hollywood actress backs US initiative to test thousands of backlogged rape kits
American television actress Mariska Hargitay has helped fund a major project to process over 11,000 untested sexual assault evidence kits discovered in a Detroit police warehouse. The initiative has resulted in 263 convictions since its launch.
LSN India ·
Mariska Hargitay, known for her role in the long-running crime drama 'Law & Order: SVU,' provided crucial support to a Detroit-based project addressing a massive backlog of untested rape kits. The initiative processed 11,341 sexual assault evidence kits that had accumulated in a police warehouse, with some cases dating back to 1984.
The project was spearheaded by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, who oversaw the systematic testing of the long-neglected evidence. By April 2025, the initiative had secured 263 convictions, providing justice to survivors whose cases had languished for decades without investigation.
The Detroit project has become part of a broader movement across the United States to address the nationwide backlog of untested rape kits. Estimates suggest thousands of such kits remain untested in law enforcement facilities across the country, potentially containing crucial evidence in sexual assault cases.
The initiative highlights the critical importance of processing sexual assault evidence efficiently. Each tested kit provides an opportunity to identify perpetrators, close cold cases, and potentially prevent future crimes. The project continues to expand investigations as testing progresses.