FFLM warns universities about self-swab rape kits

On 24 October 2025, we wrote to all universities in England and Wales to express our concerns about the promotion and distribution of self-swab ‘rape kits’ to university students by external companies. This remains an area of significant and ongoing concern for us, as outlined in our joint position statement.

Key issues include:

• These kits do not allow for a holistic psychosocial, medical, and forensic assessment of the individual.
• Samples collected may not be admissible in court proceedings.
• They do not promote the safeguarding of vulnerable individuals.
• There is no evidence that the availability of such kits acts as a deterrent to sexual violence.

You can read our full letter to the universities here: https://lnkd.in/e3pN9qNS

Read our joint position statement here: https://tinyurl.com/4jf5xbca

Read the Press Release here: https://fflm.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/FFLM-Press-Statement-Self-Swab-Kits-October-2025.pdf