It is a rare day that we would endorse any public policy imposing a mandate on businesses. However, the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims bill — state legislation that would require medical facilities to provide "accurate and factual" information about emergency contraception to victims of rape and dispense the drug at the victims' request — is a measure that we think is worthy of support.

A study performed last year by the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Coalition found that about a third of emergency rooms in the state provide emergency contraceptives to rape victims "unconditionally," while roughly another 20 percent only sometimes provide the drug. The remaining hospitals reportedly do not dispense this medication to rape victims.

Emergency contraceptives, most commercially known as "Plan B," are intended to prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse. The drug is a high dose of the hormones found in most standard oral contraceptives and, according to its makers, will not abort an established pregnancy.

While many metropolitan hospitals in Wisconsin already adhere to policies similar to those outlined in the Compassionate Care bill, women in rural areas would be hard-pressed to find alternatives if their local emergency health facility doesn't provide this crucial service. The policy would eliminate the stark discrepancy in hospital policies around the state, and we think it is a necessary extension of the emergency services that are provided to victims.

Those who fall victim to sexual assault should not have to go to great lengths to obtain emergency contraception, nor do they have the time to shop around in order to find a pharmacy that carries emergency contraception, as it is most effective if taken within a day of intercourse. Furthermore, it would stand to reason that in areas of Wisconsin where pharmacies do not sell Plan B, hospitals would likely not provide the drug, either.

What's more, though Plan B has been approved for over-the-counter sale by the U.S. Food and Drug Agency, its OTC approval does not apply to women under the age of 18. So, victims of rape who are minors are likely to experience even more difficulty in obtaining emergency contraceptives if the medication is not dispensed by emergency facilities.

The bill, which is notably unopposed by the Wisconsin Catholic Conference, has a provision that would allow health care providers to administer a pregnancy test to the victim before administering emergency contraceptives. However, this provision is virtually null, as Plan B has no effect on women who are already pregnant.

Supporters and opponents of emergency contraceptives alike are quick to reference statistics to further their agendas. But the victims of rape are more than just numbers — they are people in need of the best care that hospitals can provide, and that includes access to emergency contraception.