Oh, So THAT'S Why

[bewitched]

There are no direct quotes insofar as I can find. After reading several articles, both liberal and conservative, on the issue here's (for what it's worth) what I believe to be the facts:


Palin was mayor of Wasilla for 4 years when the Governor became aware that the Wasilla police department was charging rape victims and/or their insurance companies for the cost of "rape kits." The police chief who instituted the policy was appointed by Sarah Palin after she dismissed his predecessor. Palin had direct supervisory powers over the police department and, as part of her job, signed off on the police department's budget. Palin claims she had no idea that rape victims were being charged. Her signature on the budget wherein the police chief slashed funding for the rape kits proves that she either did or should have known rape victims were being charged the $500-$1200 cost of the kit. The addition to the rape kits of tests for sexually transmitted diseases and the requirement to provide "access" to emergency contraception was made by the Alaskan legislature in the bill, passed in 2000, mandating that police departments in the state pay for the costs of the kit. Prior to the law being enacted, there was no requirement that either of those items be a part of the rape kits and, one would assume, the funding was not slashed because they "contained" emergency contraception as it is unlikely they actually did.

So, I believe Palin is lying through her teeth when she claims to have no knowledge of victims being charge for the rape kits. I also find it reprehensible that the police chief would institute a policy, and the governor would sign off on it, mandating that rape victims pay for their own rape kits-- to collect evidence for a crime committed against them.

Having said that, it doesn't appear that emergency contraception had anything to do with the decision and it is very hard to ascertain exactly what did.

[wendybeth]

She was just being fiscally responsible. It's a wonder they don't charge the victims for court costs, but then again with rules like this it isn't too likely they caught the criminals.

[bewitched]

It's likely that the victims were asking for it anyway.