Connect with CSU Faculty featuring Dr. Rachel Lovell Associate Professor of Criminology, Director, Criminology Research Center, Criminology & Sociology Presenting “The Problem of Untested Sexual Assault Kits and Gender Differences in Those Seeking Assistance Post Assault”
Tuesday, November 4th, 2025 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Rhodes Tower, Michael Schwartz Library
Free and open to all CSU faculty, staff, and students and the general public.
Dr. Lovell's presentation will provide an overview of the problem of untested sexual assault kits—why there are so many untested sexual assault kits, what is being done to address this issue, and suggestions for moving forward. The presentation will also detail findings from two recently published studies detailing gender differences in those who seek sexual assault kit exams post-sexual assault.
In 2021, the Cleveland Division of Police completed inventorying nearly 3,000 over approximately 7,000 kits and submitted for forensic testing all kits remaining in its possession—all of which are outside of the statute of limitations and therefore unable to be prosecuted.
Unfortunately, Northeast Ohio is not unique in its possession of so many untested kits. Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of kits have languished for decades, untested, in evidence storage facilities. The existence of such a large number of kits that were never submitted for testing highlights the criminal justice system’s inadequate response to sexual assault. Moreover, untested kits are missed opportunities to identify unknown offenders, confirm the identity of known offenders, connect offenders to previously unsolved crimes, possibly exonerate innocent suspects, and populate the federal DNA database.
Join us for this free event on Tuesday, November 4th
ABOUT DR. LOVELL Rachel E. Lovell, PhD(The Ohio State University, Sociology, 2007), is an Associate Professor of Criminology in the Department of Criminology and Sociology and Director of the Criminology Research Center in the Levin College of Public Affairs and Education at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Lovell has taught at Cleveland State University since Fall 2021.
A criminologist and methodologist, she specializes in applied research and evaluation, collaborating closely with criminal justice agencies, community organizations, and public and social service systems. Her work focuses on issues including sexual assault, sexual assault kits, human trafficking, intimate partner violence, and gun violence. She is an established scholar, securing over $7 million in external funding since 2013, published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and recently served as lead editor of the monograph Sexual Assault Kits and Reforming the Response to Rape. Her research has been featured in The Atlantic, Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, Pro Publica, and Sports Illustrated.
Since 2015, Dr. Lovell has been the Principal Investigator on several large action research projects on untested sexual assault kits in collaboration with the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, the Akron Police Department, and the Cleveland Police Department, with funding provided by the Department of Justice’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.
“Connect with CSU Faculty” is a pilot project initiated by the Friends of the Library to recognize the research of Cleveland State University faculty.
Connect with CSU Faculty
featuring Dr. Rachel Lovell
Associate Professor of Criminology, Director, Criminology Research Center, Criminology & Sociology
Presenting “The Problem of Untested Sexual Assault Kits
and Gender Differences in Those Seeking Assistance Post Assault”
Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Rhodes Tower, Michael Schwartz Library
Free and open to all CSU faculty, staff, and students and the general public.
Dr. Lovell's presentation will provide an overview of the problem of untested sexual assault kits—why there are so many untested sexual assault kits, what is being done to address this issue, and suggestions for moving forward. The presentation will also detail findings from two recently published studies detailing gender differences in those who seek sexual assault kit exams post-sexual assault.
In 2021, the Cleveland Division of Police completed inventorying nearly 3,000 over approximately 7,000 kits and submitted for forensic testing all kits remaining in its possession—all of which are outside of the statute of limitations and therefore unable to be prosecuted.
Unfortunately, Northeast Ohio is not unique in its possession of so many untested kits. Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of kits have languished for decades, untested, in evidence storage facilities. The existence of such a large number of kits that were never submitted for testing highlights the criminal justice system’s inadequate response to sexual assault. Moreover, untested kits are missed opportunities to identify unknown offenders, confirm the identity of known offenders, connect offenders to previously unsolved crimes, possibly exonerate innocent suspects, and populate the federal DNA database.
Join us for this free event on Tuesday, November 4th
ABOUT DR. LOVELL
Rachel E. Lovell, PhD (The Ohio State University, Sociology, 2007), is an Associate Professor of Criminology in the Department of Criminology and Sociology and Director of the Criminology Research Center in the Levin College of Public Affairs and Education at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Lovell has taught at Cleveland State University since Fall 2021.
A criminologist and methodologist, she specializes in applied research and evaluation, collaborating closely with criminal justice agencies, community organizations, and public and social service systems. Her work focuses on issues including sexual assault, sexual assault kits, human trafficking, intimate partner violence, and gun violence. She is an established scholar, securing over $7 million in external funding since 2013, published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and recently served as lead editor of the monograph Sexual Assault Kits and Reforming the Response to Rape. Her research has been featured in The Atlantic, Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, Pro Publica, and Sports Illustrated.
Since 2015, Dr. Lovell has been the Principal Investigator on several large action research projects on untested sexual assault kits in collaboration with the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, the Akron Police Department, and the Cleveland Police Department, with funding provided by the Department of Justice’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.
“Connect with CSU Faculty” is a pilot project initiated by the Friends of the Library to recognize the research of Cleveland State University faculty.