This is part of our series on new California laws taking effect in 2018.
New rules in California will require law enforcement to tell sexual assault victims their rights.
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said a new state law requires law enforcement agencies use a new computer database to track sexual assault forensic kits once they are logged into law enforcement property rooms.
"Law enforcement also has to log the kit into a new computer data system called SAFE-T, that will be able to track first the receipt of the forensic sexual assault kit and secondarily the progress of the kit," she said.
Another new law requires sexual assault victims be provided with a card reading:
A person who is the victim of a sexual assault crime does not have to cooperate with or engage with law enforcement in order to get a free forensic sexual assault exam.
Even if victims don't press charges, adult rape kits must be held for at least 20 years or until the victims turn 40 if they were minors at the time of the attacks.
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