This book was written from a journalistic point of view. While it had good background and history the graphic descriptions of assaults didn't seem to be needed. Yes the book is about the rape kit you know rape will be discussed didn't expect graphic descriptions was more expecting to read how the kit was developed and put into use.

This book is a true work of journalism and the way it highlights and uncovers the truth, while telling the story of both the author’s and Marty Goddard’s life. Thanks to Kennedy’s many years of hard work, the woman that deserves the credit (Marty Goddard), now has that and we also get to see how Goddard’s life led her to this path. The main criticism I saw before reading this book was that the author tells too much of her own story, but I don’t agree with that at all. To me, learning Kennedy’s story helps the reader to understand how she relates topic and why she was so passionate in uncovering the truth. The only real criticism I do have is how Kennedy did center r*pe as something that only happens to women - almost always referring to survivors in general as her or she. This was definitely a tough read but also such an important topic and I truly do feel like I learned so much both on the history and modern day technology pertaining to the topic.

This was a great read! I can't believe rape kits aren't talked about more. This book was very informative without being boring, and kept you wondering what the next chapter would be about. Books like this make me remember that I do like non-fiction books.

This book is an interesting read about something a lot of us don't think about often. Rape kits. I was drawn to the story because it is your average historical event where a woman is swept under the rug and a man is called a hero. Unfortunately this wasn't quite what I wanted for this important of a subject. The author was informal and kept calling the Martha Goddard by her nickname. She would call all the male professionals involved by their last name and then call her Marty in the same sentence. It felt a little infantilizing and gave a weird vibe. My other issue is that he story was not as linear and cohesive as it could be. We bounced around a lot in time and then would have the author's trauma thrown in randomly. I understand the intended purpose of sharing the trauma but it wasn't something that felt necessary and could be jarring. I wish there was more of a focus on the actual rape kits and their general impact. I was simply left wanting more from this book. I still think everyone should read it to learn a little about Martha Goddard and her life's work though.

Fascinating, I'm not sure you can enjoy reading some of these themes but I feel more enriched and empowered as a woman to continue fighting for other women after reading.

Ida Tarbell, the investigative reporter of the early 20th century, once said about women and inventions, “What does the record show? Three things worth knowing and believing that women have invented large number of useful articles: that these patents are not confined to ‘clothes and kitchen’ devices as the skeptical masculine mind avers; that invention is a field in which woman has large possibilities.” The Secret History of the Rape Kit by Pagan Kennedy is the story of Martha “Marty” Goddard who made the Rape Kit a reality and then disappeared from public life. Kennedy lays down the story of the invention of the kit and then her search for the elusive Goddard.

Goddard and her story are intriguing. She did a lot of good work on behalf of women in the early seventies by working with the police and hospitals to come up with a system to help victims of rape and sexual assault. Goddard did a lot of good social justice work. In the book, we ride along with Kennedy as she tracks down and interviews Goddard’s friends and family. We also learn that the Kit was named after a male detective instead of Goddard as an effort to make the kit more palatable. Goddard herself, being more concerned that the Rape Kit being used may have pushed that. Goddard’s later life took a turn, which I won’t reveal as a spoiler. We also learn more about Kennedy herself as she tells her own story of sexual assault.

There is a bigger story here, introduced late in the book, and perhaps a more significant crime in an actual crime book. And that is how the rape kits were used, or not used, misplaced, and how, in many circumstances, the one device that would help a victim left them abused by police, the emergency rooms, and left waiting for hours in an ER when the only place you’d want to be is at home taking a shower. Of how kits moldered on shelves or were dumped, and there was no system to catch the perps despite what you see on Law & Order: SVU allowing serial rapists to roam free.

There are many mini-stories in this book. I appreciated a section where the magical “profiling” we hear about may be a crock. That chapter alone was worth a read and makes you go, “Huh.”

I was also intrigued by the information about how changes to the rape kit were shelved until the pandemic made them all of a sudden okay. For instance, women are pushing for at-home kits, which make complete sense post-pandemic. If anything, I believe that with a new focus on women’s health, we are about to see an explosion of inventions by and for women. I recently read that we may soon be doing at-home pap smears because, for decades, we never questioned if going into an exam room for a humiliating poking and prodding and speculum wasn’t the only possible way to find out about our health. That is unless we vote Trump back in, and the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025 folks have their way. Then it is back to not even reporting rapes and sexual assaults.

So hurray for technological advances. I grew up in Northern California, where my 70s childhood neighborhood was terrified by the Golden State Killer (then the East Area Rapist), and it was through today’s DNA technology that he was finally caught. While I’m here for a true crime, I do recommend I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara.

All in all, this book was a good read. It taught me and made me think. I’m happy to see Marty Goddard get the recognition she deserves.

It should go without saying that everyone should read this book. At the very least, it should be required reading in school. The great Pagan Kennedy has taken a topic that very little is known about and illuminated it beyond just the history. By utilizing historical documents, infusing her own personal stories, and personifying the individuals involved, Kennedy has made a very readable treatise on sexual assault, and of course forensics.

This story is so intriguing, and while the history won't surprise you, it does dislodge another brick in the former sexist, misogynistic wall that keeps women from thriving in today's world. Not a sermon, but a powerful story for all.
#knopfvintageanchort #vintage #knopf #pagankennedy #thesecrethistoryoftherapekit

**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Fascinating and Important History**

Pagan Kennedy’s *The Secret History of the Rape Kit* shines a much-needed light on the development and impact of a critical tool in the fight for justice for sexual assault survivors. Kennedy’s thorough research uncovers the little-known story behind the creation of the rape kit, weaving together the scientific, legal, and social challenges that shaped its evolution. The book is both informative and compelling, offering readers a deep appreciation for the people who fought to bring this tool into existence. While some sections may delve heavily into technical details, the overall narrative is powerful and enlightening, making it an essential read for those interested in justice and women’s rights.

he Secret History of the Rape Kit was very informative, and personable. So many hurdles to jump through but I am glad to say that Marty Goddard has her story out there. So many gaps shows just how dedicated she was to her job that getting to know the real woman is elusive. I am saddened by the trauma Marty, the author Pagan and so many others have experienced in this world, and the lack of empathy shown by this patriarchal society we live in. DNA evidence is a wonderful thing, but it is so unfortunate that someone claiming bodily harm has been so readily questioned for the truth. I admit the book has gaps as far as gender equality as it centers mostly on women, but in all honesty, that is the demographic this kit benefits the most. Evidence is only as good as the collection procedure and analyzation. Great read, easy to understand, and is a page turner.

This book has brought so much light to the truth behind the creation of the rape kit, the stigma of being raped, and how rape victims are still being denied their human right to heal from the rape on their own terms.

This book was a very interesting read. I know just in general sexual assault is more common than people say. But the history on how and why the rape kit was developed was intriguing to learn about as well as just shocking how things were done back in the 1960s-1980s. Even still there are issues with the store of these evidence kits and the practices of using them.

I really liked how the Pagan was getting into the nitty gritty of finding Marty Goddard and all her research. I might have to look more into this.

An exploration of a criminal investigation tool whose history is seldom thought much about, despite its importance, along with the complicated history of the woman who created it.

Thanks to Vintage and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret History of the Rape Kit by Pagan Kennedy is, well, exactly what it sounds like: a deep dive into how the rape kit as we know it came to be. In order to tell us about how the rape kit was created, Kennedy tells us about Marty Goddard, the woman behind the man credited for the rape kit. Her crusade made the world a demonstrably safer place, though there's still a long way to go.

I appreciated a lot of what this book was doing, but at times, it felt very disjointed and unorganized. The writing was good, but it didn't feel well paced or put in the most compelling way. You can tell from how Kennedy reveals parts of Goddard's story that this isn't an "I talked to this person and got their perspective" type of book, so you can kind of guess what happened to her. The messiness is a reminder that everyone's human and the toll life can take on people.

Writing this took a lot of guts, which I applaud, but I wish it was better organized and ended with something more than a fizzle.

This book is complicated. While it is a history of the rape kit, it is also a somewhat muddled mess of a memoir, as well as a biography of the person who created the kit. Honestly, I feel like the original article would suffice, but I can’t make a definitive statement as it is now hidden behind a paywall. The history of how victims have/are treated is appalling, and the kit is easily one of the greatest inventions in crime history. Unfortunately, this book struggles on focus. I’m glad I read it, because I learned a lot, so please don’t think the research isn’t there. It is simply in-between stories of the author’s history and her search for the kit creator. Both which I found to be unnecessary, or at least given out or context and not cohesive with the rest of the story. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I wasn’t able to fully read this book due to the nature of the material and how it was presented (too triggering). But from what I read, it was written well. I appreciated the research and time that went into this story, and also, the modern feel of the writing.
One qualm I did have was with the extensive inclusion of LGBTQ+ people into the writing. It felt very heavily progressive.

It was a very heavy read, yet essential history for many to learn. It felt a bit all over the place, with no clear plot. It bounced around between the history and progression of the rape kit, commentary, and the biography. I found it very informational.

I need you to read The Secret History of the Rape Kit, because it’s essential. Like most true crime stories, the “facts” about the origins and biography of the rape kit are a matter of indifference to most. The truth of these stories lies in the beliefs we carry, regardless of the veracity of those beliefs. Kennedy has done a great service by resurrecting the life of Marty Goddard as innovator and driving force behind the rape kit and restoring her to timely recognition. The book slots well into current important conversations and it deserves to be read and talked about. It’s smart, compassionate, well researched and reported—and infuriating. How dare we forget the creator of something as vital as the rape kit? And how dare we turn away from the evidence it generates?

What, then, do we owe to those who survive sexual violence? What do we owe to the women innovators among us, overshadowed by men of lesser skill and intellect, but more rapacity? This brilliant, heartbreaking, necessary book captivated me immediately and does excellent, important work to define some of the key failures of thought, policy, and practice that led to Marty Goddard’s virtual disappearance and to the squandering of opportunities to address sexual crime by discarding mounds of evidence over years and decades. These failures are not done wreaking their havoc and imposing human costs; Kennedy brings these forward with care and a honed sense of ire.

The interpolation of the author’s own experiences with Goddard’s struggles, and with the challenges of digging up such a worthwhile cold case of innovation and foresight, is incisive. Kennedy brings strong empathy to compelling storytelling and an eye for nuanced detail that adumbrates a hidden figure, one whose importance should never have been lost. The writing is graceful, and one gets a strong sense of the tempered relentlessness not only of Marty Goddard, but of the author herself, chasing ghosts that haunt them both.

There is an urgent need for explorations of the myriad ways the legal system has consistently undermined justice – ignoring and pathologizing rape victims, warehousing and forgetting rape kit evidence, disregarding forensic failures – and the Secret History of the Rape Kit is a welcome addition to this growing body of work. It also goes some way to address other legal and civic failures by taking head-on the misdirection of recognition that Marty Goddard – and all the unsung heroes like her – endured. Kennedy offers a well-timed cry to policymakers and others to take these failures seriously and take steps to correct the errors of evidence and address systemic biases that create and perpetuate injustice.

Kennedy interweaves histories – of innovation, criminal justice, police procedure – and biographies – of Marty Goddard, of the author herself, and, importantly, of the rape kit as intellectual property, social object, and evidentiary tool – to convincingly document and illustrate why failures of procedure and of attribution are so costly at so many levels. If you care about justice, stolen ideas, systemic indifference to women’s experiences of violence, and the outcomes of a threadbare approach to forensic evidence, read this book.

The Secret History of the Rape Kit was full of educational content, and was very informative. The author did a great deal of research in identifying the origins of the rape kit, how it came about, and the process by which it was designed and eventually put into circulation for use. The inventor of the rape kit, Marty Goddard, was an ambitious young lady with a heart for injustices and the marginalized. She spent years promoting the idea of the rape kit, and found others to work with her in the creation of the kit. Due to the era (1970's) in which Marty created this kit, she ended up working with a reputable scientist/detective who worked in the Chicago crime lab, Louis Vitullo, and the rape kit was named after him. The author takes a great deal of time to explore the ramifications of Marty Goddard's input and development of the rape kit, and was able to give her credit where credit was due for the origination of the rape kit and the huge developments thereafter! This book will give you a great understanding of the need for the rape kit, the reasons behind the education present with law enforcement and hospital personnel, and society at large. Decades later, the backlog of processing and the realization of those wrongfully accused and imprisoned, led to the rape kit being an integral part of justice being restored for many. I really enjoyed learning about the rape kit and would recommend this book to those with interest in learning more!

Thank you for NetGalley and Vintage books for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was formatted in a way that was both informative and interesting. I felt like I was listening to a podcast as I was reading.

This is a important, informative and highly readable work of non-fiction. I learned so much about Marty Goddard and all the people working in this important area. I also appreciated the integration of Kennedy's experiences/stories into the narrative. It really makes this feel like a personal work rather than only a history.