MP calls for ban on self-swab rape kits pushed to university students amid claims tests 'deter rapists'

Enough, self-described as a 'Sexual Violence Prevention Programme', has been falsely claiming it is funded by the police, government and UK universities, one Tory MP has claimed.

More than 8,000 kits have been handed out at universities across the country by the firm, which claims they "give survivors a simple, easy way" to report rape.

The firm even goes as far as to state that its kits "deter perpetrators" - despite an MP revealing that one police force has seen a criminal case collapse as a result of the test being deemed inadmissible in court.

The campaign took social media by storm, with the rape kits available to purchase online for just £20 each.

Enough, who sells the kits on YouTube and TikTok, posed last month outside Number 10 and announced they had delivered 100 kits to the Government.

Adverts claim that victims can get justice by self-swabbing for the presence of their attacker’s DNA - claims branded "dangerous" by one Conservative MP, who warned LBC of the perils posed by such tests.

Speaking with Henry Riley, Alicia Kearns, Shadow Safeguarding Minister and Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford, detailed how "the young women that work for me have been delivered [adverts] on social media" for the test.

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The MP suggested the adverts put out by the firm state the kits "deter people from raping you" and that victims can store the evidence they self-collect before taking it to police.

However, she highlights that there is "no evidence" that kits have or will ever be deemed admissible in court, bringing into question the relevance and validity of the tests and raising concerns over victim welfare.

"It's been banned in the US, in many different states, because it's inadmissible," Ms Kearns explained.

"And I've even been told by one police force that a case has already failed to get to court - a child who was raped -because the evidence was inadmissible in court."

She continued: "Horrifyingly, the angle the company takes is two if you have this kit it will deter people from raping you and secondly it allows you to store the evidence that you self collect until you are ready to go to the justice system.

"So, really dangerously, first of all, not only is it suggesting that women have a requirement to buy a kit to stop them being raped, but secondly, it suggests that, well, essentially it's forcing survivors to collect evidence themselves, independently of rape support charities, independently of the police, at the exact time that they actually need to be going to these organisations to get the trauma support."

The brand name, Enough, is also markedly similar to the government's current 'Enough' campaign, set up in a bid to prevent violence against women and girls.

It's left many questioning whether such a similarity could mislead the public in regard to its association with a government campaign.

Ms Kearns highlighted that the testing kits are "forcing victims to collect evidence themselves independent of charities and police," meaning that victims are "not going to get the trauma support they need".

She also highlighted that the adverts insinuate that "women have a requirement to buy a kit to prevent themselves being raped".

Available to purchase using Enough's page on popular online shopping platform Shopify, the firm claims kits are "a simple and quick way for survivors to report and deter perpetrators".

"Enough is a revolutionary non profit, creating extraordinary impact through a viral social movement at incredibly low cost," the website reads.

Enough's website also aligns itself with the government position, writing: "The Government and many other organisations, including Enough, are committed to innovating radical new approaches and reduce rape by 50% in 10 years. Universities and Schools will be the major arenas where these approaches have to be developed and tested."

The firm details on their website that they plan to run "3 City wide evaluation pilots of the programme over 3 years," branding the scheme "effective, affordable, and scalable prevention must become our priority".

After concerns were initially raised over the tests earlier this year, Enough co-founder, Katie White, 29, said: "The world needs to wake up to the fact the current solutions are not working and we need to try new things."

Speaking of what can be done, Ms Kearns revealed that "for almost a year now, rape charities been talking to government saying, please take action, please ban these kits.

"First, the government needs to ban the sale and distribution of these kits. They do not deter, they do not protect and they may risk women getting justice.

"But secondly, every woman, every man with a young woman in their lives needs to speak to them and say, we know that on social media you're being told to buy these things.

"You need to understand they are not admissible in court and they will not protect you. And actually, you need to go to the police and you need to get the support from rape charities if the worst happens to you."

A spokesperson for Enough said: “Enough is a registered CIC non profit social movement to prevent rape, funded by individuals and organisations, including the national lottery. Today, less than 1% of perpetrators are convicted and rape is at epidemic levels.

"The government has pledged to halve VAWG in a decade and to try radical ideas to get there. Our approach fills two gaping holes in the system - an option 3 for the vast majority of survivors who aren't currently reporting, and a threat for perpetrators who face no consequence today (<1% convicted).

"70% of students polled in the Bristol pilot said that Enough prevented rape on campus. 8,000 students chose to support the campaign and take kits to keep them and their friends safe. Enough is misunderstood when it is reduced to a DNA kit.

"Enough is a revolutionary social movement, a strong public health campaign, creating social deterrence in the same way that our government did for smoking and drink driving.

"Leading KCs have confirmed that Enough DNA can be admissible.It is disappointing that some in the sector are trying to block new ideas without understanding their impact.

"Survivors are asking for change, it would help everyone if could all work together and lend expertise to help each other improve.”