COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus police are actively investigating more than 1,000 reports of sexual violence.

It’s a demand they are working to keep up with and now hope a grant will help. $350,000 dollars is going to the Columbus Police Department’s sexual assault unit to help process evidence faster.

More than 600 sexual assault kits are in evidence right now waiting to be tested. CPD is hoping to bring that number down.

The path to justice for survivors often starts at the hospital. Someone comes in for help and forensic nurses walk them through a personalized process that could include a sexual assault kit.

This funding will send 175 of those kits to BCI to be tested. The goal is to get leads faster which hopefully ends with prosecution. Right now, it could take months to get answers.

“It varies depending on the priority of the case. So, we have a known suspect versus a stranger versus a serial case versus whatever else may categorize that prioritization,” CPD First Shift Sexual Assault Unit Sgt. Kyle Fishburn said.

While detectives work to solve cases, SARNCO, Ohio Health’s Sexual Assault Response Network, provides support for survivors.

“If this happens to you, you can come into the hospital and we can give you all of your options and then you can make that informed decision for what you want to do,” SARNCO Forensic Nurse Coordinator Leslie Potterton said.

Potterton walked NBC4 through what that kit looks like. Each envelope has a swab to collect evidence to send to police. Nurses also take photos of injuries and sometimes send clothing to evidence as well.

“Even if you’re not sure that you want to have the kit collected or you’re not sure you want to talk to police, we can go through all those options with you and find out what’s best for you and this healing process,” Potterton said.

These kits are the ones that are backlogged.

“In order to get these done quicker, we found the grant that we could send some of these kits out to BCI for assistance in order to reduce the total amount of kits that we have in our crime lab,” Fishburn said.

In 2023, SARNCO helped 2,306 survivors. So far this year, it’s close to 1,500.

“I do think there has been an increase, especially post-COVID,” Potterton said. “We’ve seen our numbers increase. I believe this year we’ve seen over 500 patients so far in the hospital setting.”

While Columbus Police and SARNCO have different focuses, they both want to make sure survivors feel safe, supported and get the help they need.

“You don’t have to keep it to yourself,” Potterton said. “You don’t have to suffer in silence.”

SARNCO also provides aftercare advocacy beyond just the hospital or helpline. This can include emotional support, help with police or even in the courtroom.

If you or a loved one needs help you can find more resources here.