Allegheny County launches portal for victims of sexual assault to track cases
Allegheny County announced it has launched a web portal for victims of sexual assault to track their cases.
The portal was launched through a partnership with the Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner and the Allegheny County Police Department.
“April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and there couldn’t be a more appropriate time to launch this portal for victims to pursue information about their cases. As my administration focuses on building a county for all, that includes providing services for victims looking for compassion and support. I’m pleased the Office of the Medical Examiner and our County Police Department are providing this new portal to our community,” said County Executive Sara Innamorato.
ACOME and ACPD, meeting with project stakeholders Pittsburgh Action Against Rape and the Center for Victims, identified a need to enhance community outreach and survivor outreach programs. The portal was developed as a result of those conversations.
“We’re proud to be a part of any program aimed at supporting those who have gone through such traumatic experiences,” Superintendent Christopher Kearns of the Allegheny County Police Department said. “Allowing victims to access case information on their own terms will keep critical lines of communication open with both law enforcement and advocates for victims of sexual assault.”
The portal allows victims of sexual assault to pursue information on the status of their case in their own time. The website strives to ensure the most supportive and effective methods of communication and information sharing by linking the victim to a case liaison who will then coordinate efforts between victim advocacy groups and law enforcement.
“Our office has been involved in efforts relating to the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative for several years, and we are pleased to see this portal come to fruition, which will help streamline sexual assault victims’ access to information,” Dr. Ariel Goldschmidt, chief medical examiner of Allegheny County said.
The web portal does not provide information to the general public. An assigned Sexual Assault Kit Initiative liaison receives the information from the victim and vets it before gathering updates on their case.
People who submit information may choose how they want to be contacted and will hear from someone within 10 business days after submitting their request, county officials said.
Sexual assault kits collected after July 10, 2015, for which consent was not provided for testing, are not included in this portal as those kits have not been tested. Anonymous kits are also not included in the portal.
The portal is available online.
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