Emergency Contraception for Rape Survivors

from the desk of Sondra Miller, Director of Education, Outreach and Community Partnerships

In 2007, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio Foundation conducted a survey of hospitals and found that 78% of the hospitals that responded give Emergency Contraception (EC) to sexual assault survivors. Seven percent said that they do not give EC to anyone – including rape survivors, and 12 percent said it depends on the doctor.

We’d like to hear from you!

What is your experience with hospitals and emergency contraception? Have you ever witnessed a survivor being denied EC? Have you ever left an emergency room and realized that no one ever thought about EC? What reactions do you tend to get from survivors when you mention EC?

CRCC has long been advocating in Columbus and Washington DC about policies and legislation that impacts survivors of sexual violence. In Columbus, a piece of legislation will soon be introduced that would require hospitals to offer and provide emergency contraception to rape survivors. The legislation is called The Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies (CARE) Act. CRCC helped to author the bill.

We’re looking for survivors (and possibly advocates!) who might be interested in testifying before the Ohio General Assembly about the importance of offering ALL survivors EC in the emergency room. If you would like to learn more about testifying or this legislation, contact Sondra Miller at sondram@clevelandrcc.org or 216-619-6194 x 114.

We’ll soon need your phone calls to encourage your elected officials to support CARE! More details to come…