Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) requires technology for a rapid, non-destructive, and accurate detection of a wide variety of evidence including invisible stains of bodily fluids. Particularly crucial is the discrimination of semen in stained evidences from sexual assault cases as those evidences have high odds of containing aggressor DNA.
However, if rape is a global scourge and reported cases increased dramatically over the past years, there is no real solution offered to the Crime Science Technicians (CST) to screen efficiently the scene looking for semen.
If prevention programs are a major strategy to pursue for countries, every innovation that helps fighting and accelerating investigation to find assaulter is absolutely essential and a top priority in budget allocation, especially when we know that 2/3 of offenders are repeat offenders and 99% of rapes are committed by a male. These facts clearly highlights the need for rapid identification of offenders.
Besides, the global cost of rape over society is really high, research indicates that the cost of violence against women in the world could amount to 1.5 trillion.
Here we aim at evaluating the feasibility of a new product STK Spray. The product will be part of the Crime Scene Technician (CST) tool box. It will permit to reveal semen stains over suspected materials (fabrics, carpets, sofas, beddings, car seats, flooring, etc, comprising items that cannot be send to the laboratory) within 3 minutes. The CST will then be able to sample the stains and send them for DNA profiling. Such technical product has no equivalent and, while helping scientific police to fight crime, potential market is worldwide.
The overall objective is to demonstrate technical and commercial feasibility of STK Spray product.
