Pro-Choice Senators Introduce C.A.R.E Act in Missouri Senate!
On February, , Sen. Maida Coleman (D-5), along with every other pro-choice member of the Missouri Senate, filed SB , the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies (C.A.R.E.) Act. The C.A.R.E. Act would require that hospital emergency rooms in Missouri provide sexual assault victims with medically accurate information about, and access to emergency contraception.
A scientific study conducted by NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri found that 39% of Missouri hospitals do not provide emergency contraception for rape victims entering the emergency room. NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri strongly believes that survivors of a sexual assault should be informed of, and, if desired given a prescription for emergency contraception upon admission to the emergency room. The reality is that many Missouri hospitals simply do not provide rape victims information on this safe and effective method that could prevent an unwanted pregnancy resulting from a rape. Each year 25,000 women in the United States become pregnant as a result of rape. An estimated 22,000 of these pregnancies—or 88%--could be prevented if sexual assault victims had timely access to emergency contraception.
NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri applauds Sen. Coleman, as well as the bills co-sponsors, Senators Bray, Days, Graham, Wheeler and Wilson, for taking a stand for women. We are committed to working diligently alongside our pro-choice friends in our state Capitol to pass the C.A.R.E. Act and protect the women of Missouri.
|
