CSFS Positional Statement on Self-Swabbing Kits in Cases of Sexual Assault

 

The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences has recently been made aware of the promotion of self-swabbing kits for use by victims of rape and sexual assault. As the professional body of forensic scientists, we agree with our colleagues in forensic medicine, forensic science, policing, and the criminal justice system that self-swabbing in cases of sexual assault is not advised, and the promotion of such kits has the potential to cause additional trauma to victims by raising their expectations when findings from such samples are unlikely to provide any useful forensic evidence.

We support the positional statements on this matter issued by the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, the Association of Forensic Service Providers’ Body Fluid Forum, the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls, and the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) are free to access and offer holistic care to the victims of sexual violence. They are staffed by highly trained individuals and in addition to providing forensic medical examinations in accredited environments conducted by trained experts, SARCs offer counselling support, sexually transmitted infection and pregnancy screening, and other post-examination support.

SARCs ensure the confidentiality of complainants, who may self-refer anonymously without involving police if they choose. If complainants decide to later pursue a police investigation, their samples will have been stored following published best practice guidelines, allowing subsequent examination and testing by an accredited forensic service provider.

Forensic service providers conduct their work in compliance with industry standard regulation, including the Forensic Science Regulator’s Code of Practice and Conduct. Providers use a comprehensive range of validated examination and testing methods and employ stringent anti-contamination procedures. Findings are reported by trained, competent experts. This approach ensures that where significant findings are identified, these can be reliably used in a police investigation and admitted to the criminal justice system as evidence.

 

The Issues with Self-Swabbing Kits

Chain of Custody

Self-swabbing does not take place under controlled conditions and provides no reliable records of when and where samples were taken, nor where they were stored prior to sample testing. This absence of continuity/chain of custody information renders any findings from such samples unsuitable for use as forensic evidence and the court may not allow such findings to be admitted. SARC medical examination records document all appropriate details and are regularly admitted into evidence.

Sampling Method

Self-swabbing does not comply with best practice guidelines for forensic sampling and does not employ the use of specialist equipment required for sampling some areas of the body. These issues may limit the effectiveness of sampling and the value of findings from these samples. SARC forensic medical examinations employ all appropriate equipment, and samples are taken by experts following published best practice guidelines.

Sample Storage

Samples stored inappropriately risk the possibility of microbial growth that has the potential to damage the biological material contained on them and compromise findings. SARCs follow published protocols in storing samples taken during forensic medical examination and hold accreditation for all the activities they conduct.

Contamination Risk

Self-swabbing increases the risk of samples being inadvertently contaminated as they are taken. Given the sensitivity of current DNA profiling techniques, the detection of an innocent person’s DNA could have serious consequences within a police investigation. SARC forensic medical examinations are conducted in environmentally monitored rooms and use anti-contamination procedures to minimise this risk.

No Guarantee of Accredited Sample Testing

Samples taken during self-swabbing are not submitted to an accredited forensic service provider for examination and testing. As such, there is no guarantee that samples will be examined to current standards.

It is unclear whether body fluid testing or preferential extraction techniques will be conducted on self-swabbed samples. Not determining whether a body fluid such as semen is contained in samples is a limitation to the significance of findings.

It is unclear whether specialist techniques such as Y-STR, which targets male DNA, or the use of probabilistic genotyping software in evaluating mixtures of DNA are applied, where appropriate, to self-swabbed samples.

It is unclear whether findings from self-swabbed samples will be interpreted and reported by a qualified expert in forensic biology.

It is unclear whether crucial contextual details used in the interpretation of forensic biology findings are provided with self-swabbed samples, which may limit the significance of findings.

Self-Swabbing Compromises Subsequent Forensic Medical Examination

If a complainant decides to attend a SARC after having used a self-swabbing kit, then this may have removed significant amounts of transferred biological material that might subsequently have been recovered during the SARC-based forensic medical examination, potentially compromising findings.

Lack of Support and Risk of Further Trauma

Self-swabbing kits provide none of the additional support provided by SARCs to the victims of sexual violence when they are most vulnerable. Failure to properly explain the limitations of self-swabbing kits, including the likelihood that samples may not be usable as evidence, risks the further trauma of complainants and their reduced trust in the Criminal Justice System.

 

In Summary

Victims of sexual violence receive the most comprehensive care at SARCs, where medical examinations are conducted reliably and offer the greatest potential that findings will be admissible as evidence.

Self-swabbed samples cannot be relied on as evidence. Their use is detrimental to victims’ wellbeing, does not support effective investigation outcomes, and as the National Police Chief’s Council concludes, is not a deterrent to predatory sexual offending behaviour.

 

Related Resources

NHS SARC Services: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/sexual-health-services/find-a-rape-and-sexual-assault-referral-centre/

Rape Crisis: https://rapecrisis.org.uk

Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine Sampling Guidelines: https://fflm.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Recommendations-for-the-collection-of-forensic-specimens-Feb-2026.pdf