Healthcare Biases Block Access to Sexual Assault Evidence Kits

It's 2025. Let's do better.

A McGill-led study in rural Northwestern Ontario reveals that health workers’ decisions on providing sexual assault evidence kits (SAEKs) are often influenced by bias.

Race, intoxication, and police involvement shaped whether survivors were deemed “credible,” creating systemic inequities in forensic care. The findings highlight how Indigenous women and others who fall outside the “ideal victim” stereotype face disbelief or denial of services.

Researchers are calling for clear hospital guidelines and more training to combat discrimination.

“Those who fall outside that ‘ideal victim’ stereotype risk facing disbelief or discriminatory care.”

— Dr. Kathleen Rice

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