MeToo’s proposed ‘at-home rape kit’ raises concern in some states

At some point in time, we all have heard of the #MeToo movement. It originally started in 2006 thanks to founder Tarana Burke; then in 2017, allegations against Harvey Weinstein made this hashtag (and movement) go viral.
Typically, someone who has experienced sexual abuse can choose to go to the hospital and receive a rape kit to preserve evidence in the case they would want to pursue an investigation. However, as technology advances, so does this process as well.

Introducing the new controversial item soon to be out on the market, the MeToo kit. The movement has plans to come out with a take-home rape kit to “do-it-yourself.” The idea is to allow those suffering with trauma from these situations be able to gather evidence if they’re unable to go to the police or hospital. In theory, this is a decent idea.
However, on August 29, MeToo were sent a cease-and-desist letter by a Michigan attorney. The claim was that the company was violating consumer protection rights in specific states. They also accused MeToo of taking “financial advantages” of a victim’s situations, exploiting a negative situation into one that benefits another. While this may not have been the intent of the founder, how can one not think about it?
The additional problem that may come from this is if the victim chooses to pursue action against the other person, the at-home kit will not hold up in court. The defense will easily fight the argument of “why they didn’t go to a hospital to receive a professional examination?” instead.
With the at-home kit, it’s easier to imagine it being tampered with. Because recording false claims has been done in the past, this option in court cannot be ruled out. If the evidence from the at-home kit is turned down, it can ultimately cause more pain and trauma in the end. An actual examination is not only taking DNA test, but also an STI test, receiving treatment/immediate care, and more in-depth care later on.
At the hospital, these should be free, whereas the MeToo kit would be a charge to you.
This kit is not yet available, but the movement is working on releasing by the deadline of spring 2020.
It is important to keep yourself safe at all times no matter the obstacle. Never feel stuck or alone as you can always reach out to someone.
If the MeToo kit does go on the market, The Voice will keep you updated on the latest scoop.