Hold On

I just heard something on the radio so outlandish and infuriating I think I must have misunderstood. I’m hoping, anyway:

Apparently, rape victims in Missouri are billed for their rape kits. They have to pay for their evidence collection.

Could this be true…?

THIRD EDIT: From Senator Michael Gibbons’ website:

“Imagine how you would feel if your home were burglarized and you were told you would have to pay for the evidence collection necessary to identify, arrest, and prosecute the burglar. That’s what happens to rape victims,” Bennett [Barbara Bennett, Executive Director of Women’s Support and Community Services in St. Louis] said. “I am very grateful to Sen. Gibbons for sponsoring this important legislation. I hope people will pick up their phones today and call their State Senators and Representatives to urge them to vote for this bill.”

SECOND EDIT: Warren Ellis passed along this link and message from Steven Perez:

Yep, Kelly Sue is right. In fact, there’s a bill up in the state senate right now concerning this: http://www.senate.mo.gov/07info/bills/sb429.htm

EDITED TO ADD: I haven’t found a definitive answer to my question yet, but I did find this bit, which appears to be from a Truman State University newspaper in 2003:

An added challenge is that rape
victims have to pay for the evidence
to be collected when they report the
crime, LeBaron said.

“I don’t know how this crime got
to be treated so differently from
other crimes,” LeBaron said. “When
rape victims go to the hospital, they
are billed for that. State programs
can help pay for the testing, but only
as long as the victim agrees to pros-
ecute.”

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You’re currently reading “Hold On,” an entry on girl farts

Published:: 02.26.07 / 9am

Category:: the struggle for power

About

Kelly Sue DeConnick relocated in 2002 from Brooklyn, NY to Kansas City, MO, where she now lives with her husband, writer Matt Fraction, Captain Applejack, Claude, Pablo, Ham and little Henry Leo. Professionally, DeConnick writes comics and adapts manga into English. Her credits include Kare First Love, Black Cat, Sexy Voice and Robo and Blue Spring. Most recently, she co-wrote 30 Days of Night: Eben & Stella with Steve Niles for artist Justin Randall. Contact: kellysue [at] gmail [dot] com. Follow Kelly Sue at http://twitter.com.

Rating: ? | karon 02.26.07 / 9am

From a legal standpoint, only Alaska and Rhode Island don’t have specified that a governmental entity such as the city, state, public health or crime victim funds pay for rape kits. However, it is kinda like insurance. The hospital charges more than the state will pay so bills can end up going to the victim.

Rating: ? | kellysue 02.26.07 / 10am

I’m horrified.

Rating: ? | T2 02.26.07 / 10am

Are other crime victims billed for the collection of evidence, such as finger prints and such? Of course not. But this is especially thoughtless.

I think that a legislator could make some considerable political points by taking this on and fixing it. Plus, it’s a no brainer, and EASY to fix.

Amazing and yeah, horrifying.

Rating: ? | navan.ghee 02.27.07 / 12pm

Not that this even remotely compares, in terms of horror, but I just found out that the state of Georgia counts state tax returns as income and (surprise surprise) taxes you on them.

Emigration looks better & better all the time…

Rating: ? | irenekaoru 02.27.07 / 12pm

I can’t say I’m too surprised. Shouldn’t have worn those provocative clothes, after all. Really can’t blame anyone but yourself.

Just…ew.

Rating: ? | frenchy! 02.27.07 / 1pm

wha? hope this is some adminstrative screw-up that can be fixed muy rapido coz this is very insulting for the victims..

Rating: ? | SAP 02.27.07 / 2pm

Kelly Sue,

Yes, what you heard is correct, and there is a bill making its way (or already has made its way, I can’t tell) through the state senate attempting to rectify this injustice.

http://www.senate.mo.gov/07info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=10740

Whoops! Too slow.

Rating: ? | kellysue 02.27.07 / 2pm

Thanks, Steven.

Rating: ? | OAA 02.27.07 / 5pm

It’s incredibly backward, complicated, and wholly unfair, but this is all true. Most of the survivors I’ve seen haven’t any insurance and sometimes the hospitals have safety net policies in place, but it’s not universal and it’s absurdly expensive, just like all hospital trips. I suppose the rationale is that if you were punched by a purse snatcher and ended up in the ER, you’d pay for your stitches and have photos taken in the event they caught the thief. Same with rape kits. Only in rape kits they have to pull 50 hairs from your head and pubic area, do a complete pelvic exam, draw blood, and a myriad of other horrible things and this is all after you’ve told your story at least twice to complete strangers.

Rating: ? | alec 02.28.07 / 1pm

This sounds like evolutionist jibber jabber. God created Jesus and America in his own image. God is a libertarian and therefore doesn’t want to pay for your tampons or whatever other liberal tools of destruction you masquerade as feminine products.

Prose Before Hos » Who’s going to pay my monthly rape bill? 02.28.07 / 2pm

[…] Courtesy of Girl Farts (which I can only assume is a site run by an Asian man whose fetish is to stick his nose into a women’s buttcrack after a hearty meal of barbecue and semen), it’s been reported that “rape victims in Missouri are billed for their rape kits“. Now, you see, some people may misconstrue this as some horrible measure in a podunk, antiquated state. But in reality, this is a continuation of the Thomas Jefferson business policies (TJ biz-nass for all you ebonics linguists), for it is the secret clause in the US Constitution that reads “Thou shalt do ladies against thy will, and when thee pregnancy emerges, they shalt be the one to pay for it. When thy is confronted with said charges, please ignorance, heavily and mightily, and when unsurmountable evidence falls out of your favor, publicly state “She asked for it”. Thus, thou shalt be ridden of thy burden”. America people, learn to love it. […]

Rating: ? | Joe Helfrich 02.28.07 / 10pm

It’s the case here in Colorado too. Theoretically, if the police order it, the police are supposed to pay for it, but in my girlfriend’s case, the police order the kit, and then never pay for it, so she gets billed. She couldn’t pay it, and shouldn’t have to pay it.

So not only was she raped, just to see the guy not go to jail (despite his documented confession to her) because of some stupid twat juror with half a law degree, she still occasionally gets collection notices for the rape kit, and the “default” shows up on her credit report. It’s been years, now.

There are days I think the universe is a bad practical joke.

Rating: ? | palms 03.04.07 / 6am

GOSH! Alec, you’re right!

girl farts

Hold On

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