Hirono Urges for Federal Funding to Clear Rape Kit Backlog

On a visit to the Honolulu Police Department Headquarters on Wednesday, Sen. Mazie K. Hirono highlighted the important role of federal funding in helping Hawaiʻi law enforcement clear a backlog of 1,500 untested rape kits statewide. In 2016, the Office of the Hawaiʻi Attorney General received a $2 million grant from the US Department of Justice to process untested rape kits for three years.

“Survivors of rape and sexual assault deserve swift access to justice, and I will continue to fight for federal funding that will assist local law enforcement across our country clear the testing backlog and build infrastructure to ensure that new kits are processed quickly and accurately,” Hirono said.

During her visit, Senator Hirono also learned more about how HPD is using a federal grant to improve its laboratory infrastructure and in-house kit testing process.