NARAL PRO-CHOICE NEW JERSEY THANKS SENATOR JON CORZINE FOR INTRODUCING LEGISLATION WHICH ENSURES COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS
CARE Act similar to recently passed New Jersey legislation.
(June 27, 2005) –NARAL Pro-Choice New Jersey thanks Senator Jon Corzine for introducing the Compassionate Assistance for Sexual assault Emergencies (CARE) Act in the Senate.
Senator Corzine (D-NJ), along with Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), introduced the bill, which would require that hospitals provide all sexual assault survivors with information about and access to emergency contraception, also known as EC. EC can prevent pregnancy when taken up to 72 hours after intercourse. The bill would also require hospitals to provide sexual assault survivors with the proper treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. Senator Corzine had previously been supportive of similar legislation in New Jersey, which was recently signed into law.
This legislation is particularly important, since the Department of Justice’s 2004 first-ever medical guidelines for treating sexual assault survivors did not mention EC. Laurie Lowenstein, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice New Jersey, said today, “We applaud Senator Corzine for understanding that all survivors of sexual assault should have every available treatment. The CARE Act ensures compassionate care for survivors of sexual assault.
Contact Jennifer Miller, Director of Organizing
609.581.7171
Jennifer@prochoicenj.org
