New York, New Jersey Officials Urge Department of Justice To Include EC Information in Rape Survivor Treatment Guide

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 14 Feb 2005 - 22:00 PDT

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New York and New Jersey officials on Thursday in Washington, DC, told an advisory committee examining ways to strengthen the federal Violence Against Women Act that the... Department of Justice guidelines for the treatment of sexual assault survivors should be updated to include information about emergency contraception, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports (De La Cruz, AP/Long Island Newsday, 2/11). DOJ's first-ever medical guidelines for the treatment of sexual assault survivors, which were published in September 2004, include a section on pregnancy "risk evaluation and care" that instructs health care personnel to consider a survivor's fear of pregnancy, administer a pregnancy test and "discuss treatment options, including reproductive health services." However, the guidelines do not specifically mention EC, which can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of intercourse (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 1/7). Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.), in remarks read to the committee, said, "Of the 300,000 women who are sexually assaulted each year in this country, an estimated 25,000 will become pregnant," adding, "The use of emergency contraception could significantly reduce this number of unintended pregnancies." Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), in remarks submitted to the committee, said that omitting information on EC from the guidelines "belies [DOJ's] disregard for women and their control over their sexual and reproductive health." DOJ has said that the matter of including information on EC in the guidelines "would be reviewed," but the department has "made no guarantees," according to the AP/Newsday (AP/Long Island Newsday, 2/11).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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