Wasilla Police Billed Sexual Assault Victims for Their Own Rape Kits

[Christa]

Of all of the things I’ve learned about Sarah Palin in the last week and a half, this has got to be the most disturbing. While Sarah Palin was serving as the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, the city charged victims of sexual assault between $300 and $1200 for their own rape kits. A rape kit is a sexual assault forensic evidence kit, used to collect DNA that can be used in criminal proceedings to assist in the conviction of those who commit sex crimes. The kit is performed as soon as possible after a sexual assault or attack has been committed. It is usually humiliating and uncomfortable for the victim–imagine enduring that and then paying $1200 just so that the criminal who assaulted you might be caught.

The new law makes it illegal for any law enforcement agency to bill victims or victims insurance companies for the costs of examinations that take place to collect evidence of a sexual assault or determine if a sexual assault did occur.

We would never bill the victim of a burglary for fingerprinting and photographing the crime scene, or for the cost of gathering other evidence, Knowles said. Nor should we bill rape victims just because the crime scene happens to be their bodies.

http://opedna.com/2008/09/08/wasilla-police-billed-sexual-assault-victims-for-rape-kits/

[Captain Hilts]

1. Oh man, if this is true, it's so hot you have to hold it with tongs!

[Skidmore]

2. What a reprehensible practice to sanction.

Ms. Palin had responsibilities, right? I can see poor women being unable to pay for the evidence by which they could get justice. This is despicable. I hope there were community organizers there who were trying to get that practice ended.

[seabeyond]

3. rapist rights, bill victim for prosecution. her religion does she believe stone the raped cause

she enticed the rapist

do we bill the estate of murder victims for lab work? do we bill the person who uses our cops that are paid with our money

this is beyond wrong

[Symarip]

4. Obviously it's their own fault for getting raped

I can't believe the nerve of this woman. This is beyond disturbing. It's heartless.

[Skidmore]

5. This needs to be in an ad somewhere.

Damn this makes me livid!

[Skidmore]

6. Kicking because this is a justice issue and an important women's issue

and people should be aware that this woman presided over such a practice.