The Secret History of the Rape Kit

A True Crime Story

By: Pagan Kennedy

Narrated by: Claire Danes

Marty Goddard dreamed up a new crime-solving tool—a kit that could help rape survivors fight for justice. This thrilling investigation tells the story of the troubled, heroic woman who kicked off a feminist revolution in forensics, and then vanished into obscurity.

"Astonishing . . . Marty Goddard takes her rightful place as a visionary thanks to Kennedy’s relentless investigation.”—Rachel Louise Snyder, author of No Visible Bruises

"The Secret History of the Rape Kit is stunning: part thriller, part feminist reclamation, part personal journey, fully a page-turner. How did we not know about Marty Goddard?"—Peggy Orenstein author of Girls & Sex and Boys & Sex

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.

A Crucial Book

Few could write a book as difficult with the elan of Kennedy. Please read this incredible work.

The Hidden Story of the Rape Kit and It’s Creator is Finally Told

I really liked this book for many reasons. The story of Marty Goddard was compelling and dramatic. The author successfully shows how Marty created the rape kit and despite unimaginable hurdles succeeded in getting law enforcement to adopt it.

Pagan Kennedy also tells a broader and complex story of how violence against women had received little attention even up to today.

And finally, the narrator, Claire Danes, does a impressive job telling this wonderfully researched story.

A fascinating history

This was a well written book which detailed not only the actual history of forensic rape kits but also the driving force behind them , Marty Goddard. A great read on a challenging subject

Love hidden history

This book is amazing, history that is hidden and stuff that still happens with women in society

Informative history and memoir

I appreciated listening to and learning about how the rape kit was created and how rape has been investigated throughout the past 50 years or so. I also appreciated learning about the woman who helped create the rape kit and the woman who researched and wrote this book. While I have seen some complaints about the organization of the book and the fact that the author shared her own rape stories, I appreciate her courage to share the truth with readers.