San Francisco police misused rape victims’ DNA, D.A. says

San Francisco’s district lawyer mentioned Monday that police used a database with DNA collected from victims of rape and sexual assault to attach a few of them to crimes.

Dist. Atty. Chesa Boudin mentioned the San Francisco Police Division crime lab had been utilizing the database to “try and subsequently incriminate” victims of rape and sexual assault, a follow he known as “legally and ethically fallacious.”

The district lawyer known as for a direct finish to the alleged follow, dedicated to working with police to deal with the allegations and urged modifications to native and state legal guidelines, in response to a press release by Boudin’s workplace.

“I’m disturbed that victims who’ve the braveness to endure an invasive examination to assist determine their perpetrators are being handled like criminals somewhat than supported as crime victims,” Boudin mentioned. “We must always encourage survivors to come back ahead — not gather proof to make use of in opposition to them sooner or later. This follow treats victims like proof, not human beings.”

Boudin didn’t determine the database however mentioned one lady was just lately arrested on suspicion of a felony property crime based mostly on her DNA collected years in the past throughout a home violence-involved rape examination, in response to the Related Press.

He didn’t present many particulars in regards to the case and mentioned his workplace continues to be investigating what number of victims of sexual assault could have been arrested based mostly on their DNA.

The San Francisco Police Division didn’t reply to a request for remark, however Chief Invoice Scott advised the AP he has ordered an investigation.

“We must not ever create disincentives for crime victims to cooperate with police, and if it’s true that DNA collected from a rape or sexual assault sufferer has been utilized by SFPD to determine and apprehend that individual as a suspect in one other crime, I’m dedicated to ending the follow,” Scott mentioned.

State officers and organizations that work with victims of rape and sexual assault additionally spoke out Monday.

Pamela Tate, co-executive director of Black Ladies Revolt In opposition to Home Violence, mentioned the database can’t be thought of a “blanket waiver” of victims’ rights to not self-incriminate.

“One of these misrepresentation could have a chilling impact to Black ladies and ladies of colour in reporting crimes of sexual assault,” Tate mentioned.

The authorized system isn’t designed to help survivors of sexual violence, mentioned KellyLou Densmore, director of the San Francisco Workplace of Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention.

“Many survivors already select to not share their experiences, significantly transgender folks and cisgender ladies of colour, LGBT folks and different marginalized teams who could mistrust police and face different important obstacles to receiving help after sexual assault,” Densmore mentioned.

Michael Risher, a civil rights lawyer who works with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, mentioned the alleged follow violates victims’ privateness.

Federal regulation prohibits regulation enforcement from importing sexual assault victims’ DNA samples into the nationwide Mixed DNA Index System, which is used to match DNA from crime scenes with samples taken from folks convicted of or arrested for crimes, Risher mentioned.

“Native companies that preserve separate databases ought to comply with this wise rule to make sure that victims’ DNA isn’t retained and used for unrelated functions,” he mentioned. “That is particularly vital for California regulation enforcement companies like SFPD as a result of, in contrast to the federal Structure, the California Structure expressly protects privateness rights and victims’ rights.”

After a sexual assault is reported, victims are requested to endure an examination through which proof is collected from bodily fluids, fingernail scrapings, and any chunk or scratch marks, Boudin’s workplace mentioned.

“The sufferer submits their very own DNA pattern in an effort to exclude DNA that comes from the sufferer, versus the suspect,” in response to the assertion.

However analysis reveals solely a small proportion of victims undergo sexual assault testing, an invasive and traumatic course of for a lot of survivors, prosecutors mentioned.

“Victims of sexual assault consent to their DNA assortment for this objective, not in order that their DNA will probably be retained in a neighborhood regulation enforcement database completely to be searched years later,” prosecutors mentioned. “Utilizing victims’ DNA in an effort to probably incriminate them sooner or later additional dissuades sexual assault survivors from present process what’s already a really tough and emotional course of.”

State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen additionally condemned the alleged follow.

Wiener mentioned he was working with Boudin’s workplace to deal with the difficulty with state laws “if wanted.”

Ronen mentioned she requested San Francisco Metropolis Atty. David Chiu to draft laws to stop any sort of proof from a sufferer’s rape equipment, together with DNA, from getting used for something aside from investigating that case.

The Related Press contributed to this report.