Although the text does not provide the exact date, the first recorded use of a rape kit in the United States was on January 1, 1976, at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago. This marked the beginning of using standardized kits for forensic evidence collection in sexual assault cases, a practice that has become a critical tool in law enforcement and victim support.

The Illinois Bureau of Identification formally approved the "Vitullo Kit" on June 11, 1970. This was a significant step as it marked the official recognition and adoption of the rape kit, which standardized the collection of forensic evidence in sexual assault cases. The approval facilitated the implementation of the kit in hospitals across Illinois, improving the investigation and prosecution of rape cases.