Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert has appointed Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, to the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) Board as the House majority party representative, a recent announcement underscores the state's commitment to addressing sexual violence through improved forensic practices, as reported by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
The SAFE Board, which is tasked with setting policies and procedures for the management of sexual assault forensic evidence kits—that is the collection, testing, and storage of these kits—counts Roe among its newest members who assume the mantle in an ongoing struggle to mitigate the trauma of sexual assault in Oklahoma, a state where rates of reported rape and attempted rape have consistently outstripped national averages by 35-45% over the past decade, according to a statement the Oklahoma State Department of Health gave, according to the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Roe, conscious of the weight of her role on the board, expressed her dedication to the cause, stating, "I am honored to be appointed by Speaker Hilbert to serve on the SAFE Board, this is a critical issue in our state, and I will work to ensure survivors are supported and that evidence is handled with the highest standards of care and accountability," in remarks made public via an Oklahoma House of Representatives press release.
The grueling statistics, a somber reflection on the prevalence of sexual violence against both women and men nationwide—where an estimated 17% of women and 3% of men have encountered such violence in their lifetimes—are a chilling reminder of the task at hand for Roe and her colleagues, "Sexual violence has left lasting scars on far too many Oklahomans," Roe said, "These statistics show the importance of the SAFE Board’s work. Our job is to make sure the system serves survivors with compassion while providing law enforcement with the tools they need to pursue justice." as she highlighted in the aforementioned by the Oklahoma House of Representatives release.
Hilbert's appointment letter to Roe earlier this month came with optimism for her future contributions to the board, "I appreciate Representative Roe’s willingness to serve in this capacity," Hilbert noted, "Her leadership and commitment will be valuable to the board and to the people of Oklahoma." It's a nod to her anticipated impact on the 17-member multidisciplinary SAFE Board that includes state senators, representatives, the attorney general, law enforcement officials, medical experts, victim advocates, and a sexual assault survivor, as stated by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
