Susan Xenarios, Director of St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals Crime Victim's Treatment Center (Kathleen Horan)

NEW YORK, NY October 22, 2009 —New York is overhauling the way it collects forensic evidence from sexual assault victims. WNYC's Kathleen Horan has more.

REPORTER: Medical experts, lab techs, rape crisis programs and law enforcement officials have collaborated to update the way forensic evidence is collected from rape victims in the emergency room.

They found the rape kit needed to be updated to include more areas of the body for possible DNA collection. Evidence will also be gathered in a different sequence, from head to toe so it's not destroyed.

Director of the Crime Victim's Treatment Center at St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals, Susan Xenarios, says now, patients can be assured they'll get a greater level of care.

XENARIOS: Most rape survivors are treated in emergency rooms by practitioners who have not had any training, so this kit is designed for that person much more than it was before.

REPORTER: In addition to the kit, the state division of criminal justice services is distributing a training video to hospitals. For WNYC, I'm Kathleen Horan.