# Natasha Alexenko > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Natasha_Alexenko > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Natasha_Alexenko.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha_Alexenko > Source revision: 1312174033 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Natasha Simone Alexenko** (February 28, 1973 – October 31, 2024) was an American-Canadian crime victim advocate and nonprofit founder who worked to address the backlog of untested [rape kits](/source/Rape_kit) in the United States. She was the founder of [Natasha's Justice Project](/source/Natasha's_Justice_Project) and contributed to legislative reforms related to [forensic evidence](/source/Forensic_evidence) processing. Alexenko was previously the director of the [Long Island Maritime Museum](/source/Long_Island_Maritime_Museum). ## Early life and education Natasha Simone Alexenko was born on February 28, 1973, in [West Islip, New York](/source/West_Islip,_New_York), and raised in [St. Catharines](/source/St._Catharines), [Ontario](/source/Ontario).[1][2] Her mother, Nevart Mnatzaganian-Alexenko, was a [dietitian](/source/Dietitian).[1] Her father, Victor Alexenko, worked as a [drug counselor](/source/Drug_counselor) but had a [substance abuse](/source/Substance_abuse) problem and died of an [overdose](/source/Drug_overdose) when she was nine years old. She had a sister.[1] Alexenko attended the [New York Institute of Technology](/source/New_York_Institute_of_Technology), where she studied [filmmaking](/source/Filmmaking).[1][2] While living in [Manhattan](/source/Manhattan) as a student, she was [sexually assaulted](/source/Sexual_assault) on August 6, 1993.[1][2] The experience of undergoing a [forensic medical](/source/Forensic_medicine) examination after the assault had a profound impact on her, as she later recounted that the process of evidence collection was invasive and traumatic.[3][2] ## Career and advocacy After her assault, Alexenko’s [rape kit](/source/Rape_kit) remained untested for nearly a decade.[1][3] In 2003, she was informed by the [New York County District Attorney](/source/New_York_County_District_Attorney)'s office that her kit was part of a backlog of approximately 17,000 untested rape kits in [New York City](/source/New_York_City).[1][3][2] Her kit was tested shortly before the [statute of limitations](/source/Statute_of_limitations) for her case was due to expire, leading to an indictment against her attacker based on his DNA.[1][3][2] Victor Rondon, her assailant, was identified through his DNA in 2007 after being arrested for parole violations in Nevada. His DNA matched evidence from Alexenko’s rape kit.[1][3][2] Rondon was extradited to [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), where he was tried and convicted in 2008 on charges including [rape](/source/Rape), [sodomy](/source/Sodomy_laws_in_the_United_States), burglary, and [sexual abuse](/source/Sexual_abuse). He was sentenced to 44 to 107 years in prison.[1][3][2] Hearing about other survivors’ experiences motivated Alexenko to leave her position as the director of the [Long Island Maritime Museum](/source/Long_Island_Maritime_Museum), to pursue advocacy full-time.[1][3] In 2011, she founded [Natasha's Justice Project](/source/Natasha's_Justice_Project), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the timely testing of rape kits and supporting survivors of sexual assault.[1][3] Her advocacy efforts included frequent testimony before [state legislatures](/source/State_legislature_(United_States)) and the [U.S. Congress](/source/United_States_Congress). She contributed to legislative efforts in states like [California](/source/California), [Nevada](/source/Nevada), and [Virginia](/source/Virginia) to pass laws mandating the testing of rape kits within specific timeframes.[1][3] In Virginia, she collaborated with legislators, including state senator [Richard Black](/source/Richard_Black), to pass a 2016 law addressing the backlog of untested rape kits.[1] Alexenko’s work was also featured in media outlets. She participated in the HBO documentary [*Sex Crimes Unit*](/source/Sex_Crimes_Unit_(film)) in 2011, which highlighted the New York District Attorney’s office, and she co-hosted events such as a 2015 [press conference](/source/Press_conference) with vice president [Joe Biden](/source/Joe_Biden) and New York district attorney [Cyrus Vance Jr.](/source/Cyrus_Vance_Jr.) announcing [federal grants](/source/Federal_grants_in_the_United_States) to help reduce the rape kit backlog.[1][3] She authored a memoir in 2018, *A Survivor’s Journey: From Victim to Advocate*, in which she detailed her experiences and advocacy work.[1][3] ## Personal life and death Alexenko was married to Scott Sessa and lived in West Islip, New York, in her later years.[1] She died due to complications from [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis](/source/Amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis) (ALS) and [multiple sclerosis](/source/Multiple_sclerosis) (MS) in West Islip, on October 31, 2024, at the age of 51.[1] ## References 1. Sandomir, Richard (November 12, 2024). ["Natasha Alexenko, Who Exposed Backlog of Rape Cases, Dies at 51"](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/natasha-alexenko-dead.html). *New York Times*. Retrieved 2024-11-17. 1. Martinson, Sarah (August 30, 2020). ["Rape Kit Backlogs Continue To Delay Justice For Victims"](https://www.law360.com/articles/1297939/rape-kit-backlogs-continue-to-delay-justice-for-victims). *Law360*. Retrieved 2024-11-17. 1. Gomulka, Stephanie (2019-09-11). ["One Sexual Assault Survivor's Quest To End The Shocking Backlog Of Untested Rape Kits"](https://www.oxygen.com/crime-time/what-is-the-rape-kit-backlog). *[Oxygen](/source/Oxygen_(TV_channel))*. Retrieved 2024-11-17. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Natasha Alexenko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha_Alexenko) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha_Alexenko?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.