Support California AB 2843: Rape Survivors: Cost Sharing

I ask that you support AB 2843, which will remove the cost barrier for rape survivors who otherwise would not be able to seek medical care and forensic exams through their health care plans. This is an important measure, which will ensure that rape survivors can access emergency medical care and forensic exams and increase the potential for identification, arrest, and conviction of sexual predators, which are vastly underreported. Sexual violence is a traumatic assault perpetrated by partners, individuals known to survivors, and by strangers. Sexual violence has short and long-term health impacts for survivors, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts. Approximately 70% of rape or sexual assault victims experience moderate to severe distress, a larger percentage than for any other violent crime. Women make up 90% of all rape victims. However, under-reporting is rampant overall, even as it disproportionately impacts women of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, men, and those who have uncertain economic or citizenship status. There are several reasons rape survivors do not report their assault including cost, shame, intimate partner violence or otherwise knowing their predator, and fear of retribution. Cost presents a structural barrier for rape survivors who wish to access medical care and those who wish to pursue charges to bring their predator to justice, including those who are from historically marginalized groups. This barrier also creates significant challenges to law enforcement and ultimately, to their ability to bring the perpetrator to justice. AB 2843 removes the issue of cost-sharing as a barrier to a rape survivor seeking care and forensic testing. While forensic exams and rape kits are free, other costs associated with an ER visit are not. AB 2843 ensures that those individuals who wish to report a rape and those who wish to file charges will have the benefit of a rape kit test and forensic exam to provide evidence to secure more convictions for acts of sexual violence. Moreover, they can receive the medical and health care they need following a traumatic sexual attack. In many cases, health care invoices related to post-rape medical care may endanger survivors who live with their rapist when an invoice is mailed to their home. Likewise, an invoice for cost-sharing may force a rape survivor to disclose their assault to others before they are emotionally prepared to do so. Incurring debt for post-assault medical care also suggests to survivors they are responsible for their assault. Survivors of this intensely traumatic crime deserve the opportunity to seek medical care following a rape; they deserve the dignity of controlling with whom they will share information about their assault; and they deserve the necessary step of evidence-gathering to help bring rapists to face charges and achieve the justice they deserve.