On March 13, 2008, Wisconsin Act 102 was signed into effect
by Gov. Jim Doyle. The act, better known as the Compassionate Care for Rape
Victims Act, requires all emergency rooms in the state of
access to emergency contraception for female rape victims. Like many similar
laws now in effect across the country, CCRV guarantees that every rape victim
who visits an emergency room in the
receives the same standard of care. However, a recent proposal by the Bush
administration now threatens the rights guaranteed by the passage of the CCRV
act. Current federal law states health care providers cannot be required to
perform an abortion if they are morally or ethically opposed to it. The
legislation recently introduced by President George W. Bush would expand this
law to include some forms of oral contraception, as well as emergency
contraception. If the Department of Health and Human Services decides to honor
the proposal, the intent of CCRV would be in serious jeopardy.
The Bush administration’s justification for expanding the
current law is based on a belief that
emergency contraception, also known as Plan B or the morning-after pill, can
trigger an abortion. However, emergency contraception will not cause an
abortion or harm the fetus of a pregnant woman. EC contains two doses of a
synthetic form of the hormone progesterone. When taken within 72 hours of
unprotected intercourse, the increase in progesterone may cause a delay in
ovulation. In some cases, the hormone will cause the uterine lining to change
in a way that will not allow the egg to implant. Emergency contraception, like
other hormonal birth control, prevents a pregnancy from beginning rather than
ending a pregnancy.
Rape victims are never forced to take EC; however, I believe
all rape victims are entitled to accurate information and have the right to
access EC in the event that they choose to use this method of contraception. The
Bush administration’s proposal would affect many people on both a medical and
emotional level. It is often very difficult for rape victims to seek help and
medical care. If we allow healthcare workers to deny these women basic
information about their treatment options, we are denying rape victims the
basic medical and emotional care they need and deserve.
Katie Simons
UW Sophomore
PAVE Media
Advocate
http://uwpave.rso.wisc.edu/
