| Compassionate Care for Rape Victims |
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Victims of rape or incest deserve immediate access to safe, efficient methods of pregnancy prevention. Compassionate Care for Rape Victims ensures that this occurs by requiring all Wisconsin emergency rooms to provide rape victims with information about and access to emergency contraception. |
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 | Compassionate Care Signed Into Law! | |   
"I'm very proud to say 'I live in Wisconsin.' It's been a long painful journey to get to this day, but a journey well worth it.... This bill allows the women who are victims of rape in our state to begin the healing process as early as possible and feel like a survivor long before I did. It also tells me, my daughters, and the women of Wisconsin that our health and well-being does matter to our state government." -Linda, rape survivor |
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 March 13, 2008 - Planned Parenthood praises Governor Jim Doyle for signing Compassionate Care for Rape Victims into law in the Capitol today.
The new law requires Wisconsin hospital emergency rooms to give rape victims information about emergency contraception and, if requested, dispense the medication on site to prevent pregnancy following assault.
"This is truly a historic moment in Wisconsin, because today's signing marks the first pro-women's health legislation to be passed and made into law in Wisconsin in over a decade," said PPAWI Executive Director Lisa Boyce. "It's wonderful to end the legislative session on such a high note to have successfully expanded women's access to health care, when for so long we've been fighting to protect women’s access to basic care."
While the American Medical Association supports widespread access to EC to rape victims, a 2006 study found that 66% of Wisconsin emergency rooms failed to provide access to EC to rape victims. With Compassionate Care for Rape Victims becoming law, rape victims will now be guaranteed the comprehensive and compassionate care they need and deserve in every Wisconsin emergency room.
"It's incredibly empowering for the rape survivors and their fellow health care advocates to see this happen after a seven year long effort to pass this important legislation. It shows that together, we really can make a difference," said Boyce.
Rape survivors, victims' rights advocates, and health care providers have been working for over 6 years for Compassionate Care for Rape Victims to become law in Wisconsin. 2,250 days after CCRV was first introduced, it was signed into law by Governor Jim Doyle! |
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| Bill Status:
Passed 27-6 in Senate 5/16/07
Passed 6-1 in Senate Health Committee 5/8/07
Passed 6-4 with Harmful Amendment in Assembly Judiciary Committee 9/18/07
Passed 56-41 in Assembly 12/11/07
Signed into law! 3/13/08 |
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| Survivor Stories | | Linda, a rape survivor who has testified on the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims bill, said passing the bill is an absolute necessity, because women should have immediate access to EC in the emergency room setting regardless of where they seek treatment.
"Someone had to rescue me and take me to the emergency room and to the police station. I could not have physically or emotionally searched around for a place where I could receive emergency contraception," said Linda. "No woman who survives the trauma of rape should have to then be denied the compassionate care she deserves. I urge the Assembly to pass AB 377 and SB 129 as passed by the Senate because it is the least we can do to help rape victims in the state of Wisconsin, no matter where they live or who they are."
Interview with Linda, a rape survivor:
PP: Is there any message that you have for other activists? For the other women like you that have been out there, testifying?
Linda: Keep fighting. Shed your tears, dry them up and keep fighting until we get what we need.
Listen to part of the interview | Read more of the interview with Linda
Op-Ed by Amanda Harrington, a rape survivor and member of the CCRV Coalition:
Survivors Need Intact Rape Law
Rape Survivors Pledge Continued Support for CCRV:
Read the article
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| The many brave rape survivors who testified in favor of these bills urged the Legislature to pass Compassionate Care. These are their voices:
"No one should put the burden of receiving comprehensive medical care on a rape survivor. The trauma from a rape is too great to expect survivors to know all the questions to ask in the emergency room. I can't imagine why any person would oppose the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Act."
--Linda, rape survivor from Eau Claire
"This is a real issue about real victims and people who are living with this every day."
--Amanda, rape survivor from Milwaukee
"For all those who report their assaults, there are many who don't, and some who never do. For all those who speak out publicly, there are thousands of women who do not. This is a remarkably under-reported crime. It reduces women to second class citizens when the comprehensive care is unavailable or is not provided. It is essential that compassionate care be provided without delay and without judgment."
--Barb, rape survivor from Eau Claire |
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| Emergency Contraception: | | ~Emergency contraception (EC) is a high dosage of birth control pills that, if taken within 12 hours is 99.5% effective in preventing pregnancy. If taken within 120 hours, EC is at least 75% effective in preventing pregnancy.
~The American Medical Association has stated that all emergency rooms should give information to rape victims about EC and dispense it if requested. A 2006 study found that 66% of Wisconsin emergency rooms fail to provide access to EC to rape victims.
~Over 300,000 rapes are reported each year, with 25,000 pregnancies and 16,000 abortions as a result. EC could prevent 90% of those pregnancies if it was widely dispensed.
~The statewide Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Coalition uses research, education and advocacy to secure access to EC for rape, incest and domestic violence victims. |
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