This just makes me want to scream:
Thousands of rape investigations are bogged down in Texas because of untested evidence, but a lawmaker has proposed a bill that would use public crowdfunding to help pay for testing and fix the backlog.
In the first legislation of its kind, the lawmaker, Representative Victoria Neave, a Democrat from Dallas, introduced the bill in February to solicit donations of $1 or more from people when they renew or apply for drivers licenses. The money would underwrite a grant for the Department of Public Safety to test what are commonly called “rape kits,” which consist of evidence samples including hair, semen, fabric fibers and skin cells.
“It was an issue that we thought was really important,” Ms. Neave said in an interview on Tuesday. “We know that women don’t always get to the point of reporting the incident, and when they have the courage to voluntarily undergo the test, that takes a lot of courage.
“My view is that the least thing we can do is make sure that we get these kits get tested,” she said. “We owe it to them.”
IF ONLY THERE WAS A MORE RELIABLE WAY FOR LEGISLATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT PRIORITIES LIKE THIS ARE FUCKING FUNDED WITHOUT HAVING TO RESORT TO BEGGING. I know I heard of a way to do this. Gosh, how could it be done.
BTW- part of rape culture is not taking rape seriously enough to TEST THE FUCKING RAPE KITS that women go through hell to provide to authorities.