When Support Matters Most: Why Self-Swab ‘Rape Kits’ Aren’t the Answer
At The Eddystone Trust, we work with people across the South West who are affected by sexual health inequalities and trauma, and we want to say this loud and clear: if you’ve experienced rape or sexual assault, you are not alone—and you deserve specialist, compassionate support.
Recently, we've have seen self-swab ‘rape kits’ being marketed online as a way for survivors to collect their own evidence after sexual assault. While this may appear helpful at first glance, we share the concerns of Rape Crisis England & Wales, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and other trusted organisations about how these kits are being positioned—and the potential harm they can cause.
Survivors deserve care—not pressure or false promises
We understand why someone might reach for something—anything—that offers control, certainty, or a next step after an assault. But self-swab kits risk placing the weight of action and responsibility back on people in crisis. That’s not just unfair—it’s deeply inappropriate and unkind.
These kits suggest survivors should prove something has happened to them. They encourage evidence collection without the medical, legal, or emotional framework that makes that evidence meaningful. In short: they offer false hope, and very little support.
Worse still, we’ve seen some companies make exaggerated, misleading claims—suggesting, for example, that their kits actively reduce cases of sexual assault. This kind of marketing is not just cynical, it’s exploitative—and it risks undermining real, survivor-centred services doing meaningful work every day.
There is compassionate expert support available
Throughout the South West, Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) provide free, confidential, trauma-informed care for anyone who has experienced rape or sexual assault—no matter how long ago it happened.
SARCs offer:
Forensic medical examinations carried out in safe, specialist environments
Emotional and practical support from trained crisis workers
Emergency contraception and STI testing
A choice about whether or not to report to the police (you’re never pressured)
Evidence storage if you need time to decide
Access to Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs), counselling, and health services
You don’t need to go through your GP or the police to access a SARC. You can go directly, in your own time, and on your own terms. And these services are available to people of all genders, ages, sexualities, and backgrounds.
“The staff were very kind, considerate, helpful. They let me take my time when I needed to and I felt at ease throughout the process.”
— Devon & Cornwall SARC client
For more information about SARCs across the region, including how to find your nearest centre, visit:
You don’t have to do this alone
No kit can replace a kind voice, a safe space, or expert care. If you’ve experienced sexual violence, your safety, your choices, and your healing come first. There is no right timeline. No expectation. Just support—when you’re ready.
We believe every survivor deserves:
To be believed
To be informed
To be cared for
And to feel safe
If you need help, please reach out. We’re here—and so are many others.
The Eddystone Trust