OLYMPIA – Earlier this week, Representative Sharon Wylie (D-Vancouver) was appointed to the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Best Practices Advisory Group, replacing former House appointee and now-State Senator Tina Orwall.
The SAFE Advisory Group, housed within the Office of the Attorney General, brings together a broad coalition of stakeholders including law enforcement, prosecutors, medical professionals, victim advocates, and lawmakers to improve how Washington responds to sexual assault cases and to prevent future backlogs of untested sexual assault kits.
Rep. Wylie has been a consistent partner in the state’s efforts to reform how sexual assault kits are handled and has worked closely with the Attorney General to help eliminate Washington’s rape kit backlog. That work culminated in October 2023, when the last of more than 10,000 previously untested sexual assault kits were submitted for lab testing—marking a historic milestone in the state’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.
“Ending the backlog of sexual assault kits was a crucial victory, but it’s only the beginning,” said Rep. Wylie. “We need to ensure that every survivor has their case taken seriously, that every kit is tested in a timely manner, and that our criminal justice system reflects compassion, urgency, and accountability. I’m honored to step into this role and help continue the transformative work already underway.”
This work is essential not only for ensuring justice for survivors, but for keeping communities safe. Testing backlogged kits has already led to more than 2,100 DNA matches in the national database and helped solve at least 21 sexual assault cases – some dating back decades and involving victims as young as three years old.
Rep. Wylie’s appointment comes at a pivotal time, as the advisory group continues its work to strengthen the state’s investigative and support systems for survivors. In recent years, the Legislature has funded new crime lab capacity, required all sexual assault kits to be tested within specific time frames, and implemented a first-in-the-nation tracking system allowing survivors to monitor their kit’s progress.
More information can be found here.
