As mayor of Wasilla, Palin required rape victims to pay $1200 for their exam

[Edubb]

I understand more each day why Republicans love her so.

Eight years ago, complaints about charging rape victims for medical exams in Wasilla prompted the Alaska Legislature to pass a bill — signed into law by Knowles — that banned the practice statewide.

”There was one town in Alaska that was charging victims for this, and that was Wasilla,” Knowles said.

A May 23, 2000, article in Wasilla’s newspaper, The Frontiersman, noted that Alaska State Troopers and most municipal police agencies regularly pay for such exams, which cost between $300 and $1,200 apiece.”(But) the Wasilla police department does charge the victims of sexual assault for the tests,” the newspaper reported.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/52266.html">Link

[davidinalameda]

1. you're fucking kidding me?

I don't think that even Dick Cheney would stoop that low

[bluestateguy]

2. But remember, we are the ones who are sexist for saying she is vapid and unqualified

And in Sara Palin-land, any woman that is raped and impregnated MUST BE FORCED BY LAW to have the baby.

[melody]

3. What breed of reptile is this?

She's as dumb as Bush and as cold-blooded as Cheney.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Just a way to discourage women from pursuing charges and to

keep the statistics lower. Imagine if someone burglarized your home, and the police said, "we'll investigate if you want--but is it worth $1200 to you?" The Wasilla police were essentially asking women if the crime to their bodies, their dignity, and their sense of safety was worth what they would be charged to investigate--and probably hoping the women would say no, and slink away. Just a sickening financial hurdle placed between victims and justice--should never have happened.

[LooseWilly]

5. I'd heard this...

... but I shurgged an offended shrug, assuming it was only $50 or so, like the drug tests I used to have to take for work, and I had to pay for (illegal, but no one was willing to go to the effort to try to take it to court).

I can't believe it was $300 to $1,200... that's even more onerous than her move to put sales tax on food in Wasilla...

[catnhatnh]

6. Deceptive Post Title....

...Some rape victims paid $1200...others paid "only" $300...I bet the $300 charge was for rape victims who were also separatists.I figure regular republicans paid $400-$500....

[agentS]

7. This is illegal and Palin & the Sheriff should be charged with Fraud!

As Steve Benen points out at the Washington Monthly http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_09/014669.php#1341165

Evidence collection is not health care. Billing insurance for evidence collection kits is health insurance fraud. Under HIPAA, this is a federal felony. Since the practice created enough of a stink to require state legislation to ban, Mayor Palin must have known that insurance was being billed for evidence collection. This makes her guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud (even if she was oblivious to the felony character of the act)--also a felony. The FBI would have jurisdiction for investigating. I think Gov. Palin needs to hire a criminal defense attorney; the statute of limitations for this can be 10 years.

[TwilightGardener]

8. Interesting--I don't know how they got away with it, except that probably

most women who received the bill didn't even ATTEMPT to file a claim with their health insurance companies.

[texastoast]

9. Confirmed by both my Wasilla friends

She probably thinks the victims "asked for it."

[Gregorian]

11. It was god's will that they be raped.

One couldn't get further from Jesus's message if they tried, and were standing on their head.

Whatever these people have I hope it isn't contagious. Because it's certainly a disease.

[OmahaBlueDog]

10. Suggestion

Take a minute (OK 5 minutes).

Look up a couple of TV and major non-McClatchy news outlets in your area. E-mail this to their news desk...don't froth at the mouth, just say something like "McClatchy is reporting this story, and I think you might want to take a look at this."

I just sent this to Omaha World Herald, KETV, and e-mailed it to a friend and a relative.

[Phx_Dem]

12. HOLY SHIT.

I was wondering how much a rape kit cost. Not that it matter, but I was curious. This woman truly is a PIG. Without lipstick.