ORLANDO, Fla. — A rape survivor from Orlando joined Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday to push for faster processing of rape kits from cases around Florida.
There are currently thousands that need to be tested, which means crimes are unsolved, and rape suspects could strike again, according to Channel 9's Ryan Hughes.
The state hopes to streamline the testing of kits all over Florida to ensure each is looked at properly.
Kellie Greene, who was raped several years ago, spoke out in support of Bondi's push.
"I'm originally from Orlando, Florida, where I lived back in 1994. I was beaten and raped by a stranger who broke into my home, and that night changed my life forever," Greene said.
She said she now devotes her life to helping other victims.
Greene's kit took three years to get tested and helped investigators finally catch her attacker.
Bondi explained Green's kit wasn't the only one to sit in labs for years.
"We know there are thousands of untested rape kits out there," she said. "When I say out there, I mean spread through the state of Florida."
Bondi wants hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund the testing of the kits. Already, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is assessing how many rape kits in the state still need to be processed.
"We have to get the convictions, and we have to keep these people off the streets," said Greene.
The state may even begin to use private labs to test kits. A model policy may be implemented to streamline the process in each county, officials said.