When Cheryl Thompson went to her local hospital after being sexually assaulted, she was turned away. No exam. No care. No help. Staff told her to drive 80 minutes away — alone, after a trauma no one should face in isolation.

She didn’t get a proper exam until eight days later. By then, it was too late.

Sadly, Cheryl’s story isn’t rare. Dozens of hospitals in Illinois have been violating a 49-year-old law requiring emergency care for sexual assault survivors — refusing exams, failing to report to protective services, and transferring victims miles from home.

Now, because Cheryl refused to stay silent, Illinois lawmakers have passed a bill to fix this broken system. It strengthens state oversight, penalizes hospitals that delay or deny care, and expands health care vouchers to all survivors — no matter where they go for help.

But this law only becomes real if Governor JB Pritzker signs it.

We’re calling on Gov. Pritzker to stand with survivors by signing this bill into law. No one should be turned away from care because of where they live. No one should be left without support after reporting the worst day of their life.

Sign this petition to ensure every survivor in Illinois gets the care, dignity, and justice they deserve — without delay, without excuses.