Strangers rally to donate thousands for sexual assault victims

A small act of kindness turned into a generous donation for sexual assault survivors in Maryland.

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - A small act of kindness turned into a generous donation for sexual assault survivors in Maryland.

Meaghan Smith says she never knew about a problem that many women face after receiving treatment, until speaking with a friend who works as a forensic nurse examiner at Carroll Hospital in Maryland.

DOWNLOAD: The FOX 5 DC News app for local breaking news

The friend explained that when a victim goes to a local hospital, her undergarments are gathered for evidence and she is sometimes sent home without those most basic necessities.

While out shopping for the holidays, Smith saw a store going out of business and decided to purchase as many bras and underwear as she could, but as she started doing so, the clerk and other customers began pulling money out of their own pockets to help!

Thanks to their generous donations, Meaghan was able to buy nearly $3,000 worth of new undergarments for victims. Her impassioned story garnered thousands of likes and shares on social media.

Lisae Jordan, with the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, says most people simply don’t understand just how many unmet needs there are.

“We really need to do better. We have small unmet needs, things like underwear after an assault, but also, really large unmet needs. We need better community support, better political support and better financial support," said Jordan.

In Washington, D.C., all victims are provided with clothing, but that’s not always the case at hospitals in our surrounding areas. Resources like rape kits, nurse examiners and advocates are often scarce and only available at certain hospitals.

Jordan says, “We need things like advocates in every single ER. We need nurses who are not just on call, but who are on staff, and we need to make sure that all rape survivors have the medication they need after an assault.”

Smith plans to deliver the bras and underwear to Carroll Hospital after the New Year. Jordan says, If you’re looking for a way to help, you can reach out to the local crisis and recovery center in your area.