1. United States
2. W.V.
3. Letter

Please vote NO on crossover bill HB5484. While it seems like it is intended to help victims of sexual assault, it could actually criminalize care providers who assist victims who have become pregnant due to an assault. The bill includes language such as "coercing" a victim to have an abortion, when in reality, most victims are strongly against carrying a pregnancy forced on them by their attacker. It should be standard of care and supported by law to offer these women Plan B for assaults that have been reported within its effective timeframe, and an abortion for those that have progressed beyond that timeframe but are still within the legal limit for the procedure. Passing laws that criminalize care providers from every angle in regards to abortion won't stop abortion. It will simply drive quality care providers from the state. Using victims of sexual assault to press the anti-abortion agenda is cruel and disgusting. Sexual assault victims should receive the best care and compassion we can provide. I'm urging you to vote NO on HB5484 to protect victims of sexual assault from being forced incubators for their abuser.