Making Rape Victims Pay in the USA

While this woman was recovering from surgery required to repair her internal organs after the rape she received a bill from her hospital for the cost of her rape kit, a forensic exam to collect DNA and other evidence from the body of the victim. She was eventually able to get her state's victim compensation board to pay the hospital, but in the meantime she kept receiving notices from the hospital's bill collector. ........Last week, a local TV station reported that some rape victims in Texas had been billed for the cost of their rape kit - which, depending on the state and the hospital, can reach $2,000. Last year, a newspaper reported that rape victims in North Carolina were asked to bill their insurance for the rape kit cost and, if they refused or did not have insurance, they were sent the bill. And then there was the election season story that Wasilla, Alaska (led by then-Mayor Sarah Palin) billed rape victims for their rape kit collection.