In a move that solidifies Washington's commitment to addressing sexual assault with unwavering earnestness, Representative Sharon Wylie (D-Vancouver) has been appointed into the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Best Practices Advisory Group. Wylie replaces now-State Senator Tina Orwall in this strategic assembly of experts and policymakers, as announced earlier this week.
The SAFE Advisory Group, operating under the Attorney General's office, is a melting pot of stakeholders that includes the likes of law enforcement, prosecutors, medical professionals, victim advocates, and legislators. Their collective focus is to enhance Washington's approach to handling sexual assault cases and staving off future backlogs of untested sexual assault kits—an issue of critical concern that has plagued many jurisdictions.
Rep. Wylie is no stranger to the cause, having allied herself with the Attorney General's office to tackle the state's rape kit backlog in earnest. Their collaboration bore fruit in October 2023 when they cleared more than 10,000 previously untested kits. "Ending the backlog of sexual assault kits was a crucial victory, but it’s only the beginning," Rep. Wylie expressed to the House Democrats. "We need to ensure that every survivor has their case taken seriously, that every kit is tested in a timely manner, and that our criminal justice system reflects compassion, urgency, and accountability. I’m honored to step into this role and help continue the transformative work already underway."
Already, the testing of the once-neglected kits has led to over 2,100 DNA matches in the national database and played a pivotal role in resolving at least 21 sexual assault cases—some stretching back decades and involving victims as young as three years old. While justice for the survivors is of the essence, these measures have a compounded effect in bolstering the safety of the community at large.
