NEW YORK CATHOLIC HOSPITALS DENYING CARE TO RAPE SURVIVORS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2006
Contact: Mary Alice Carr,
212-343-0114 ex 4
NEW YORK CATHOLIC HOSPITALS DENYING CARE TO RAPE SURVIVORS
NARAL Pro-Choice New York calls on Governor Pataki to enforce New York law
Today’s edition of the Times-Union reported on a study by Catholics for a Free Choice that found Catholic hospitals in New York State are violating state law by failing to provide sexual assault survivors access to emergency contraception. Additionally, it was reported that the New York State Health Department’s records reveal five complaints of women being denied emergency contraception in hospitals in the past year.
Passed in 2003, New York law requires that all emergency rooms in the state offer sexual assault survivors information about emergency contraception and dispense the medication upon the patient’s request. Emergency contraception is a concentrated dose of birth control pills that can prevent pregnancy up to 120 hours after unprotected sex.
Kelli Conlin, President of NARAL Pro-Choice New York said, “This study found that Catholic hospitals are blatantly defying state law – putting women in the most vulnerable situations at risk of pregnancy as a result of an attack. These illegal actions should be taken seriously by Governor Pataki’s Health Department. NARAL Pro-Choice New York calls for an immediate investigation of the practices and protocols in these ERs. No one is above the law and we are looking to the Governor to make sure Catholic hospitals comply with state law.”
“By their own admission, not only are many of these hospitals denying care, they are also requiring women to jump through hoops to receive emergency contraception. These barriers, such as filing a police report, are not mandated by law and stop women from receiving care they have a right to receive.”
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