![]() ![]() 8Ī bill that merely requires emergency care facilities to provide information, a referral, or a prescription for EC, fails to ensure women’s health and well-being.īy the time a woman arrives at an emergency facility, hours may have already elapsed since the rape took place. 7 In addition, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center has worked to ensure that every sexual assault victim is offered the means to prevent pregnancy when she receives treatment at an emergency care facility. Sexual assault victims’ groups around the country have also advocated to increase access to EC for rape victims. 5 Likewise, in their guidelines for treating women who have been raped, the American Medical Association advises physicians to ensure that rape patients are informed about and, if appropriate, provided EC. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Public Health Association recommend that EC be offered to all rape patients at risk of pregnancy. Major medical groups recommend that EC be offered to women to prevent pregnancy after a sexual assault. ![]() In addition to the emotional burden this imposes, a rape victim would face increased risk of pregnancy because of the delay inherent in having to take further steps to track down EC, and in some instances she may be unable to obtain EC at all. Regardless of this effort to increase availability of EC, a woman who has been raped should not have to seek out additional medical care to prevent pregnancy. For women under the age of 18 and adult women who do not have government-issued proof of age, a prescription is still necessary to obtain EC. Because of recent action by the Food and Drug Administration, EC is currently available at the pharmacy to women 18 and older who present government-issued proof of age. 4 Therefore it is extremely important that emergency care facilities offer EC to women who have been raped during their initial exam.Ī woman who has been raped who does not obtain EC in an emergency care facility must track down EC on her own. The effectiveness of EC diminishes with delay: Experts stress that EC is most effective the sooner it is taken, with effectiveness decreasing every 12 hours. Time is absolutely critical for a woman who wishes to prevent pregnancy after rape. Many other states have introduced similar measures.Įmergency care facilities should offer EC to a woman during her initial exam following a sexual assault. Ten states, including California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, have passed laws requiring emergency care facilities to offer EC to rape victims they treat. EC is part of comprehensive care for women who have been raped and should be offered on-site by emergency care facilities. 3 The failure of hospitals and other facilities treating rape victims to provide EC unacceptably leaves these women at risk of becoming pregnant as a result of assault. ![]() According to a study by the ACLU, fewer than 40 percent of emergency care facilities in eight of eleven states surveyed provide EC on-site to rape victims. Many emergency care facilities fail to provide EC to women who’ve been raped and some fail even to inform women seeking care after an assault that such a treatment is available. It is most effective if taken within 12 hours of intercourse, but can be effective up to at least 120 hours. 1 EC significantly reduces the risk of pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure. Emergency contraceptive (EC) pills, sometimes referred to as the “morning-after pill” can prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse, including rape. Throughout the country, many emergency care facilities fail to offer women who’ve been raped the treatment they need to prevent pregnancy. ![]() Ensuring Access to Emergency Contraception for Rape Survivors ![]()
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