Urge the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, and President Obama to pass the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act of 2011 (H.R.1724 ).

What is the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act?

The Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act a.k.a. CARE Act 2011 (H.R.1724 ), sponsored by U.S. Congressman Steven R. Rothman (D-NJ 9), (H.R. 1236) would ensure that survivors of sexual assault are offered emergency contraception in the emergency room.   The Care Act would prohibit any federal funds from being provided to a hospital under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act or to a state, with respect to hospital services, under title XIX (Medicaid) of such Act, unless the hospital meets certain conditions related to a woman who is a victim of sexual assault, including that the hospital: (1) provides the woman with accurate and unbiased information about emergency contraception; (2) offers emergency contraception to the woman; (3) provides the woman such contraception at the hospital on her request; and (4) does not deny any such services because of the inability of the woman or her family to pay.

The Problem 

Each year, approximately 25,000 women in the United States become pregnant as a result of rape.7 This is an added tragedy, since when used correctly and consistently, emergency contraception can significantly reduce a woman's chances of becoming pregnant - yet too few women know about the medication.

According to a 2003 analysis of data collected by the National Violence Against Women Survey, the risk of pregnancy resulting from rape is estimated to be 7.98 percent for victims who were not protected by some form of contraception at the time of the attack.  It is estimated that approximately 7,216 rape-related pregnancies occurred in 2006, based on such data.

Approximately one-third of women of reproductive age remain unaware of emergency contraception. Therefore, women who have been sexually assaulted are unlikely to ask for emergency contraception.

On December 19, 2008, the Department of Health and Human Services promulgated a final rule that expanded the ability of federally funded health care providers or employees to refuse to provide services, including emergency contraception. This rule has the potential to jeopardize women's access to emergency contraception.

The Solution

It is essential that all hospitals that provide emergency medical care provide emergency contraception as a treatment option to any woman who has been raped, so that she may have the option of preventing an unintended pregnancy.

Timely access to emergency contraception could help many of these rape survivors avoid the additional trauma of facing an unintended pregnancy.

 In light of the safety and effectiveness of emergency contraception pills, both the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have endorsed more widespread availability of such pills to women of all ages. The American College of Emergency Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists agree that offering emergency contraception to female patients after a sexual assault should be considered the standard of care. 

Also the Food and Drug Administration has declared emergency contraception to be safe and effective in preventing unintended pregnancy if taken in the first 72 hours of sex.

 In 2004, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that legal reforms and the growth in services available to rape victims have been influential in increasing the likelihood that women will report a rape to police, resulting in more perpetrators being identified and brought to justice.

Polls show that nearly 80 percent of American women want their hospitals, whether or not religiously affiliated, to offer emergency contraception to rape survivors.

What can you do to get the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act (H.R.1724) passed?

Please write to and/or call your U.S. Representatives and Senators and President Obama tell them to pass the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act a.k.a. CARE Act of 2011 (H.R.1724 ).  Also ask your U.S. Representatives and Senators to co-sponsor the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act a.k.a. CARE Act.