[TW:Rape] Oklahoma Doctor Refuses To Provide Rape Victim With Emergency Contraception
An Oklahoma emergency room doctor refused to provide emergency contraception to a 24-year-old female rape victim because the medication violated the health provider’s personal beliefs, a local CBS News affiliate reports. The hospital also denied the victim a rape kit, noting that it had no appropriate nurse on staff to administer the test.
“I will not give you emergency contraceptives because it goes against my beliefs,” the doctor allegedly told the rape victim and her mother, Rhonda. “She knew my daughter had just been raped. Her attitude was so judgmental and I felt that she was just judging my daughter,” Rhonda told the news station.
Emergency contraception’s effectiveness diminishes over time, and is most effective when taken immediately. Oklahoma law, however, shields providers from offering the perfectly legal medication under a “conscience clause” which could significantly hinder women’s access to contraception services. States across the nation have adopted similar restrictions and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has pledged to expand Bush-era rules permitting doctors to place their beliefs ahead of women’s health.
Fortunately, the young woman in Oklahoma ended up going to another hospital, where she received the medication she needed and the rape kit. But she would have had to go to two hospitals either way, since budget cuts have forced the state to resort to a system of rotating Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE nurses).
I’m becoming increasingly enraged at healthcare providers who refuse to perform medical services that go against their beliefs. That they have the backing of politicians and the law to follow their conscience makes me furious.
As a nurse I can’t even imagine being in a position where I’d not be able to help a patient. I worked in behavioral health with perpetrators of terrible crimes and was able to focus on their medical needs above all else. I’ve worked with addicts who have done vile things to others to maintain their habit, and I was able to see the disease, regardless of who the patient was. This is what I expect from my healthcare providers. I expect my medical needs to be met without them having the right to pass judgement on me.
The unavailability of a nurse trained to deal with her crisis, requiring going to another hospital is devastating, but a reality of our screwed up healthcare system. However, what the doctor subjected her to is inexcusable. To further traumatize a rape victim while calling yourself a doctor is just about as low as one can get. Sadly, very little, if anything will probably happen to them for their behavior.
Every day I feel as if we’re devolving when it comes to women’s rights. We like to pretend that we are such a progressive country, but someone has to vote these assholes into office and support the shit they put out. Why do those of us who are rational have to fight so hard to be heard? The last time I checked, these lawmakers all had female relatives who were not producing children in Duggaresqe quantities, and I’m going to assume that they’re not foregoing sex to prevent pregnancies. The hypocrisy is so thick here. I’m thoroughly disgusted that I’m reading this article and watching this news story in America, in 2012. This is fucking depressing.
This makes me so angry I’m physically shaking.