‘DIY swab kits? It’s better than doing nothing’: the controversial scheme to tackle rape on campus

[IwantToRetire]

... Enough says it was launched following advice from police, criminologists, lawyers and psychologists. It has since handed out 7,000 free kits to students at Bristol University and the University of the West of England (UWE) and says that 270 rapes have been reported to its online platform so far, and seven kits have been sent for lab testing.

Its aim is to sell the kits at £20 each to universities, schools and workplaces. “Our DNA kits give power to survivors and deter perpetrators,” its orange leaflets promise. The issue is: how?

Every major organisation involved in tackling sexual violence is strongly opposed to self-swabbing. Enough’s critics include the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Bristol University, UWE, Rape Crisis England and Wales, Bristol city council and the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine (FFLM), a charity that maintains professional standards. They say that self-swabs do not always provide reliable evidence that can be used in criminal proceedings and may not be admissible in court, and that, if survivors self-swab instead of interacting with services such as the police or NHS, they miss out on help such as psychological and forensic assessment – which would be provided at a sexual assault referral centre (Sarc).

There are 55 independent Sarcs in England, offering victims – whether or not they decide to report to the police – therapeutic care, medical and forensic examination including emergency contraception, and testing for sexually transmitted infections. Sarcs arrange counselling and address safeguarding, and can also offer vital tests for collecting the jigsaw pieces that may lead to a conviction, such as toxicology results and clothing fibres.

Is their opposition justified? Or can Enough, as it hopes, help the 75% of students who are sexually assaulted and “do nothing”, according to young people’s sexual health charity Brook? ...

Only a few paragraphs from quite a long detailed article by Yvonne Roberts in the Observer https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/feb/16/diy-swab-kits-scheme-campus-rape

This isn’t correct. They were set up as a joint initiative between the health service and the police. In some areas the NHS take the lead in managing the SARC, in other areas it’s the police.

hmmm ... I was thinking about the history of Havens in London when I thought (or misremembered) there was some push back from what had been autonimous groups basically being told they would only get, continue to get funding if they became part of the NHS.

And not long after there were a lot of complaints about the service.

But either way, there surely should be more material in say A&Es, GP Surgeries, and some social media campaign.

It sort of painful and frustrating to see young women looking a solutions that in most instances wont work.

And in fact thinking about my earlier suggestion of women being able to post on some sort of web site, X account that they had used a swab because of a previous night occurance, within a University even if it didn't out the individual male, you can see men ganging up together and making that woman, or any woman's life hell for going public.

I’m really sorry to hear this @SANEFNE . I think I know who you’re talking about. They don’t operate the SARC in my area and I hope it stays that way. It’s twenty-odd years since we were setting our SARC up and we wanted it to be excellent. I don’t work in that area now and would hate to think standards have slipped.

Shocking - so sorry to hear this.

And I suspect more money is spend on private provision than in house NHS.

What a shit show.

And in fact thinking about my earlier suggestion of women being able to post on some sort of web site, X account that they had used a swab because of a previous night occurance, within a University even if it didn't out the individual male, you can see men ganging up together and making that woman, or any woman's life hell for going public.

This was something I was very afraid of at uni when it happened to me. It’s often someone you know as the perpetrator - someone in your circle of friends or acquaintances, in a club / society or on your course for example. I was terrified if my allegations became widely known or my ex found out I accused him, he’d absolutely destroy my reputation by making me out to be a liar, or crazy etc etc.

Women are not infrequently accused of lying or exaggerating in relation to sexual assault, and if kits are done in private by the individual, I fear it will only add fuel to those kind of ‘cry rape’ myths and cause more harm.

There's a very informative article in the Guardian published in March 2024 about Private Equity Groups.

And it is hard to believe the "well known" companies who have failed in other areas should have got the contracts.

Madness.

Never saw it at the time as I stopped reading the Guardian some time ago.

@IwantToRetire

that article in the guardian was very informative.
there is a lot to uncover in terms of the private providers of SARC care. smoke and mirrors with data, poor training standards throwing new staff into working unsupervised far too soon. taking forensic swabs is the easy part, you can pretty much teach anyone that.
managing someone withdrawing from alcohol who is also having a mental health crisis and has locked themselves in the toilet with a blade takes a whole different skill set.
the majority of the largest providers SARC buildings are no where near an NHS hospital and staff have no choice but to ring an ambulance and wait like anyone else. i know people who work or have worked for them and the stories on how they are managed is frightening. good people on the ground (in the main although a heavy culture of your face fitting/bullying - all on Glass Door reviews).
those reporting sexual assault where a SARC is appropriate for them deserve better, much better.
i have fond memories of the Havens as i did some work there a very long time ago. again, good people committed to providing the best in holistic high quality care. NHS run.
they should all come back into the NHS in my view but it won't happen. too many people making serious money out of rape. it's a disgrace.
it needs brave whistleblowers.
i feel i'm de railing the thread so i will try and shut up now!

Each university has sexual violence liaison officers or equivalent, and I know our SARC go and do inputs each year to new students to let them know the provision.

Trouble is that PCCs and NHS fumd the SARC and always looking for ways to cut costs.
Having separate ISVA services to the SARC seems to defeat the purpose for me, as we always worked together.

I set up a pilot with our SARC for thé crisis workers to go out with detectives as first responders which worked really well.

As others have said this smacks of a private business trying to sell a product which is worthless

@Justasmallgless

that's a great initiative using crisis workers in that way.

the private provide i refer to 🗻 has diminished the role of crisis workers im told. they are glorified cleaners and chaperones. ours are amazingly skilled in support, the art of chatting about anything during the inevitable long waits while i'm dealing with samples and paperwork and helping clients work through options and choices. they do the follow up support calls, make onward referrals that have been agreed on and bring a wealth of experience in other areas to their roles.

to use a well used phrase in our world 'there's more to the job than the swab'.

good crisis workers are worth their weight in gold!

I can't say what I want about the private provider...

The Crisis workers who I know are all amazing women who never judge anyone coming in and are treated as part of the vital service of SARC.

I'm sorry to hear the experience of the PP having a poor service at a SARC

I am wondering now if I misremembered and the stories I heard about the takeover of the Havens was in fact inviting in private contractors and their failure to maintain standards.

Beginning to feel that my saying all SUs etc., should have a publicity drive re SARCs could be misplaced.

The last think any woman in a state of crisis and distress is to go somewhere thinking they will get sympathetic and appropriate support and just end up with someone on a short term contract with no training or empathy.

Which brings me back to saying that pointless as it might seem maybe the young students are reflecting back that they dont have anything to rely on.

Came across this by chance:

Referrals to NHS sexual assault centres rise by almost 18% in two years
https://www.perspectivemedia.com/referrals-to-nhs-sexual-assault-centres-rise-by-almost-18-in-two-years/