S. F. Prescott

True crime at its best!

Pagan Kennedy reports on strange stories unfolding at the intersection of science, tech, and politics. For many years, she was a contributing writer for the NY Times Sunday Review. Her 2020 NY Times article about the secret history of the rape kit was optioned by HBO; she’s now adapting the article into a book for Pantheon/Random House.

Published January 14th, 2025.

At first glance, I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this book. Worried it would just be a graphic retelling of sexual misconduct in the decades prior to advancements in forensic technology. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, it might not be for everyone, but I think Pagan Kennedy did an amazing job covering it while telling the forgotten story of forensic pioneer, Marty Goddard, and the innovative work she accomplished in developing the rape kit. Marty was a devoted sexual assault victim advocate, working alongside police and health care professionals to help women and children subjected to abuse. Sadly, like so many others, she too was a victim.

Kennedy’s research into Marty was thorough, shedding light on both her professional and personal life which, at times, was shocking and heartbreaking to read. The fact that she designed the kit still used in collecting evidence to this day is a testament to Marty’s intellectual rigor and progressive mindset. When it was revealed that her male counterparts took credit for it and even had it named in their honor, I was enraged but not surprised. So many sad truths about the justice system were exposed, more specifically regarding how victims of rape were treated by law enforcement, and it left me stunned. It’s no wonder women, to this day, don’t trust the authorities or prosecute abusers in fear of not being believed. When the author revealed her own story of childhood abuse it added another layer I didn’t expect, but which rounded out the book in a much more personal and authentic way.

For readers who are intrigued by true crime, feminism, and forensics.

Synopsis:

In 1972, Martha “Marty” Goddard volunteered at a crisis hotline, counseling girls who had been molested by their fathers, their teachers, their uncles. Soon, Marty was on a mission to answer a question: Why were so many sexual predators getting away with these crimes? By the end of the decade, she had launched a campaign pushing hospitals and police departments to collect evidence of sexual assault and treat survivors with dignity. She designed a new kind of forensics tool—the rape kit—and new practices around evidence collection that spread across the country. Yet even as Marty fought for women’s rights, she allowed a man to take credit for her work.   

When journalist Pagan Kennedy went looking for this forgotten pioneer, she discovered that even Marty Goddard’s closest friends had lost track of her. As Pagan followed a trail of clues to solve the mystery of Marty, she also delved into the problematic history of forensics in America. The Secret History of the Rape Kit chronicles one journalist’s mission to understand a crucial innovation in forensics and the woman who championed it. As Pagan Kennedy hunts for answers, she reflects on her own experiences with sexual assault and her own desire for justice.