Answering the call to end sexual assault.
Women cannot thrive unless they are safe. That’s why we gave a resounding “YES,” when asked:
To lead a campaign to raise funding to eliminate the backlog of untested rape kits from Detroit police department storage
To fund the investigation and prosecution of related perpetrators
To bring justice to survivors and ensure a safer Detroit
ENOUGH SAID = Enough Sexual Assault in Detroit
Enough SAID is a powerful collaboration between Michigan Women Forward, the Detroit Crime Commission (DCC) – both 501(c)(3) nonprofits – and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office (WCPO) to bring justice to a backlog of sexual assault crimes.
The Enough SAID initiative was formed after more than 11,000 untested rape kits were found in a Detroit Police Department storage unit in 2009. Since then, the project has forged private and public partnerships to fund rape kit testing, investigate cases and work with the WCPO to prosecute offenders.
How does it work?
While dealing with this massive challenge is not easy, Detroit is not alone in this horrific situation. In fact, there were more than 400,000 untested rape kits sitting in evidence rooms across the United States. City, County, State and Federal government have made financial commitments that allowed for the testing of these kits.
Michigan Women Forward has received funding from hundreds of individuals, families and businesses across the nation. Their generosity ensures progress is made.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has been a highly visible voice for this effort. Not only has she reminded public and private sectors of the importance of testing and investigating 11,000+ kits and corresponding crimes, she’s led legislative efforts to ensure it will never happen again.
The partnership between WCPO, DCC and MWF, along with an impressive group of initial funders, represents one of the nation’s first efforts & only public/private partnership to right this wrong.
What are the next steps?
Help us continue to ensure all women receive justice. Not only will it benefit survivors, private citizens, business owners, corporate leaders and media, it will bring significant safety and economic benefits to Detroit and beyond.