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TX GOP'er: Rape victims shouldn’t receive abortion coverage because their claims aren’t “measurable"
Texas Republican: Rape victims shouldn’t receive abortion coverage because their claims aren’t “measurable”Sen. Donna Campbell moved to require women to report incest and rape to police to receive insurance coverage
JENNY KUTNER
Texas Republican State Sen. Donna Campbell fought an amendment on Wednesday that would allow exceptions for rape and incest victims from a measure that otherwise prohibits all insurance coverage for abortion. Instead, the GOP lawmaker countered the proposal with her own, which would require victims to report their assaults to police in order to receive exemptions, because otherwise the state might be “enabling” perpetrators.
“I’m concerned that we may be unintentionally providing cover for perpetrators of crimes,” Campbell said. She was then challenged by Democrat Kirk Watson, who pressed her to consider the real-life implications of the law and her amendment.
“Would you agree with me that there are instances where a woman could be raped, and because she fears for her life otherwise, would not want to report that to law enforcement officials?” Watson asked. “Can you conceive of that situation?”
Campbell agreed, but continued by identifying the measure as as strictly “an insurance bill.” “Instead of encouraging that hypothetical situation from moving into protection for her by law enforcement, we’re saying, let’s cover that violation with an insurance payment,” she said. “When she gets the abortion…are we empowering the perpetrator, because now out of a coercion…she gets an abortion, and it’s paid for by an insurance company — and then it may happen to her again?”
“I do agree that when it’s reported, when it’s something that’s measurable within the box — that when it’s reported to law enforcement authorities — then we have something measurable, that insurance companies like to have specific codes, that they then have something that they can then hang their hat on,” Campbell added.
more
http://www.salon.com/2015/05/07/texas_republican_rape_victims_shouldnt_receive_abortion_coverage_because_their_claims_arent_measurable/