Welcome News: Marketing of Self-Swab Kits

We are pleased to share the news that, today, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has issued a ruling against a company marketing these kits.

This is an important step towards making sure that clear information is provided about how, forensically safe, evidence can be gathered after sexual violence.

We wish to thank Rape Crisis England & Wales for their work on this important issue. They continually represent survivors and specialist sexual violence services at a national level.

Rape Crisis England & Wales provide the following summary if the ASA ruling:

1. Claims made by the company about the admissibility of DNA evidence obtained via ‘self-swab kits’ in court had not been substantiated and were misleading.
2. Claims made by the company about the number of rapes perpetrated in the UK in the last year had not been substantiated and were therefore misleading.
3. The company’s claim that “a woman is twice as likely to be raped as diagnosed with cancer” has not been substantiated and is misleading.

You can read Rape Crisis England & Wales full statement here: rapecrisis.org.uk/news/asa-rules-against-self-swab-rape-kits/

We know that this ruling may leave you feeling confused and unsure, particularly if you have used a self-swab rape kits, or are in possession of one. Free and confidential support is available from our Helpline: rctn.org.uk/get-help/helpline-email-support/

June 2025 Position Statement: Self-Swab Kits

We support and feel that it is important to share this Position Statement from Rape Crisis England & Wales on Self-Swab Kits.

Rape Crisis England & Wales are concerned about self-swab ‘rape kits’ being marketed or seen as a way for survivors to seek confirmation that they’ve been assaulted, collect evidence of this, or deter perpetrators.

We understand the frustration many people feel about the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in England and Wales – including on campus. We also understand that the systems in place currently don’t always support survivors in the way that they should.

Although a self-swab kit might seem like a good idea, evidence collection needs to be done in a safe and legally compliant way for it to have most use in criminal trials. There is far more evidence than DNA which is relevant in a situation where a survivor chooses to pursue criminal justice, and which can and should be collected if that’s the right option for her.*

More importantly, survivors need specialist, trauma-informed support to help them understand their options in the short, medium and longer term after rape or any form of sexual abuse.

Our concerns

• Any evidence gathered may not be legally admissible.  Professional forensic medical examinations happen in forensically cleaned, controlled environments with strict rules to avoid contamination. That’s what helps make evidence reliable. At-home kits can’t offer that level of protection and may give survivors false hope that any evidence they gather could be relied on in a criminal trial.

• Self-swab kits can’t collect all the evidence that might be needed. In the aftermath of sexual assault, there is more than just DNA to consider. A forensic medical examination would include an assessment of injuries, clothing, blood samples, and other medical findings, which can be crucial to any subsequent legal case. Self-swab kits don’t include any of this.

• Even if DNA evidence is gathered, it’s rarely used. Rape trials focus on consent and since the majority of perpetrators claim that any sexual activity was consensual, most evidence is never sent off for forensic testing. Self-swab kits may detect another person’s DNA but this cannot prove that any activity was non-consensual. There is more to a forensic medical examination than a DNA swab.

• They don’t offer specialist, in-person support. Survivors need trauma-informed care, reassurance, and to be heard and believed. A self-swab kit can’t provide emotional support or explain next steps, but a trained support worker in a Rape Crisis centre, or an Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) can.

• They may give survivors false hope. These kits are often marketed in ways that suggest the evidence they collect will help in a legal case—but that’s not necessarily true.

This statement, along with more information is available here:

*Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) can be accessed by anyone who has experienced sexual violence and abuse.  More information about SARCs is available here:

The SARC for Tyne & Wear and Northumberland is called The Angel Centre.  There is more information including how to access support here: