Issue Advocacy

EC in the ER (the CARE act)

Imagine

...you are the victim of a sexual assault. The assault takes place late at night on Friday. Emergency responders take you to the nearest emergency room at your local general hospital. You are unfamiliar with emergency contraception. The hospital staff never offers information or access to the medication, nor do they contact the local rape crisis center. You are treated and released the next morning.

Three weeks later the trauma of your experience has not dissipated. You have also missed your period and fear you are pregnant. You make an appointment with your doctor, and the pregnancy is confirmed. At that time you also learn about emergency contraception, and its ability to prevent pregnancy after a sexual assault.

You are furious, scared and confused.

Victims of sexual assault should not have to endure additional suffering because hospital staff is not providing comprehensive emergency room care. Whether it is due to lack of information or religious objection, emergency contraception is not routinely offered to victims of sexual assault in Pennsylvania. Your participation in the CARE Coalition will help us change that! Please help us pass the CARE Act by taking action today.

PPABC is a member of the PA CARE Coalition, a group of organizations who are committed to obtaining passage of the CARE Act. Coalition members and supportive individuals come from many differing groups: the health care community, the sexual assault community, law enforcement, the domestic violence community, the reproductive rights community, civil rights organizations and beyond. Our one and only goal is to see the passage of the CARE Act complete. We believe the CARE Act is exactly the type of public policy the PA General Assembly should adopt without delay, however we recognize that in the current political climate accomplishing passage of the CARE Act may take time and tenacity and we are committed to seeing that process through.

To learn more about the CARE Act and the CARE Coalition, visit: http://www.pacare.org/ . If you would like to help us in our efforts to get this bill passed in Pennsylvania, call or e-mail us in Public Affairs.