In episode seven of our Perspectives on At-Home Sexual Assault Kits season, Just Science sat down with Patti Powers, an attorney advisor at AEquitas and a former senior deputy prosecuting attorney in Washington state, to discuss at-home sexual assault kits from a prosecutorial point of view. For many survivors of sexual violence, engaging in prosecution can be an important step in their healing process. As a former prosecutor and nationally recognized leader addressing sexual assault cases, Patti Powers has addressed sexual violence both in and out of the courtroom for more than 30 years. Listen along as she discusses the process of prosecuting sexual assault cases and the impact of at-home sexual assault kits on case resolutions in this episode of Just Science.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.